Cache defeat detection and caching of content addressed by identifiers intended to defeat cache

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for cache defeat detection are disclosed. Moreover, systems and methods for caching of content addressed by identifiers intended to defeat cache are further disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of resource management in a wireless network by caching content on a mobile device. The method can include detecting a data request to a content source for which content received is stored as cache elements in a local cache on the mobile device, determining, from an identifier of the data request, that a cache defeating mechanism is used by the content source, and/or retrieving content from the cache elements in the local cache to respond to the data request.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/287,072 entitled “CACHE DEFEAT DETECTION AND CACHING OF CONTENTADDRESSED BY IDENTIFIERS INTENDED TO DEFEAT CACHE,” filed on Nov. 1,2011, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/408,858 entitled “CROSS APPLICATION TRAFFIC COORDINATION,” whichwas filed on Nov. 1, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/408,839 entitled “ACTIVITY SESSION AS METHOD OF OPTIMIZING NETWORKRESOURCE USE,” which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010; U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/408,829 entitled “DISTRIBUTED POLICY MANAGEMENT,”which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/408,846 entitled “INTELLIGENT CACHE MANAGEMENT IN CONGESTED WIRELESSNETWORKS,” which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010; U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/408,854 entitled “INTELLIGENT MANAGEMENT OFNON-CACHEABLE CONTENT IN WIRELESS NETWORKS,” which was filed on Nov. 1,2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,826 entitled “ONEWAY INTELLIGENT HEARTBEAT,” which was filed on Nov. 1, 2010; U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/408,820 entitled “TRAFFICCATEGORIZATION AND POLICY DRIVING RADIO STATE,” which was filed on Nov.1, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/416,020 entitled“ALIGNING BURSTS FROM SERVER TO CLIENT,” which was filed on Nov. 22,2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/416,033 entitled“POLLING INTERVAL FUNCTIONS,” which was filed on Nov. 22, 2010; U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/430,828 entitled “DOMAIN NAMESYSTEM WITH NETWORK TRAFFIC HARMONIZATION,” which was filed on Jan. 7,2011; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/532,857 entitled “CACHEDEFEAT DETECTION AND CACHING OF CONTENT ADDRESSED BY IDENTIFIERSINTENDED TO DEFEAT CACHE,” which was filed on Sep. 9, 2011; U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/533,007 entitled “DISTRIBUTEDCACHING IN A WIRELESS NETWORK OF CONTENT DELIVERED FOR A MOBILEAPPLICATION OVER A LONG-HELD REQUEST,” which was filed on Sep. 9, 2011;and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/533,021 entitled“APPLICATION AND NETWORK-BASED LONG POLL REQUEST DETECTION ANDCACHEABILITY ASSESSMENT THEREFOR,” which was filed on Sep. 9, 2011, thecontents of which are all incorporated by reference herein.

This application is further related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/176,537 [Attorney Docket No. 76443-8107.US01] entitled “DISTRIBUTEDCACHING AND RESOURCE AND MOBILE NETWORK TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT,” which wasfiled on Jul. 5, 2011, the contents of which are herein incorporated byreference.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/274,250 [Attorney Docket No. 76443-8138.US01] entitled “DistributedCaching In A Wireless Network Of Content Delivered For A MobileApplication Over A Long-Held Request,” which was on filed Oct. 14, 2011,the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

This application is further related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/274,248 [Attorney Docket No. 76443-8139.US01] entitled “Applicationand Network-Based Long Poll Request Detection and CacheabilityAssessment Therefor,” which was filed on Oct. 14, 2011, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,166,164, the contents of which are herein incorporated byreference.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/274,265 [Attorney Docket No. 76443-8134.US01] entitled “CachingAdapted for Mobile Application Behavior and Network Conditions,” whichwas filed on Oct. 14, 2011, the contents of which are hereinincorporated by reference.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/274,501 [Attorney Docket No. 76443-8134.US02] entitled “Request andResponse Characteristics based Adaptation of Distributed Caching in aMobile Network,” which was filed on Oct. 17, 2011, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Wireless Broadband networks, such those defined by EDGE, GPRS, EVDO,EVDV, UMTS and others, have given little attention to requirements posedby applications whose functions are based on actions initiatedautonomously by the device, application or service, in contrast tofunctions initiated by the. Such applications include, for example,email, instant messaging, visual voicemail and voice and videotelephony, and others. Such applications typically require an always-onIP connection and frequent transmit of small bits of data. WirelessBroadband networks are designed and optimized for high-throughput oflarge amounts of data, not for applications that require frequent, butlow-throughput and/or small amounts of data.

Each transaction puts the mobile device radio in a high power mode forconsiderable length of time—typically between 15-30 seconds. As the highpower mode can consume as much as 100× the power as an idle mode, theseautonomously initiated applications quickly drain battery in WirelessBroadband networks. The issue has been further exacerbated by the rapidincrease of popularity of applications with autonomously-initiatedfunctionalities, such as mobile gaming, social media, news feeds,streaming video and audio, and others which may require an always-on offrequent IP connections and frequent transmit of small bits of data.

As such, applications (e.g., mobile applications) have changed the needsof caching, transport and content management. Traditional cachingstrategies are no longer suitable as when wireless standards werespecified, there was little attention to requirements posed byapplications whose functions are based on actions initiated by thenetwork, compared to functions initiated by the user or by the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates an example diagram of a system where a host serverfacilitates management of traffic, content caching, and/or resourceconservation between mobile devices (e.g., wireless devices) and anapplication server or content provider in a wireless network (orbroadband network) for resource conservation.

FIG. 1B illustrates an example diagram of a proxy and cache systemdistributed between the host server and device which facilitates networktraffic management between a device and an application server/contentprovider for resource conservation.

FIG. 2A depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of client-sidecomponents in a distributed proxy and cache system residing on a mobiledevice (e.g., wireless device) that manages traffic in a wirelessnetwork (or broadband network) for resource conservation, contentcaching, and/or traffic management.

FIG. 2B depicts a block diagram illustrating another example ofcomponents in the application behavior detector and the caching policymanager in the local proxy on the client-side of the distributed proxysystem shown in the example of FIG. 2A which is capable of detectingcache defeat and perform caching of content addressed by identifiersintended to defeat cache.

FIG. 3A depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of server-sidecomponents in a distributed proxy and cache system that manages trafficin a wireless network (or broadband network) for resource conservation,content caching, and/or traffic management.

FIG. 3B depicts a block diagram illustrating another example ofcomponents in the caching policy manager in the proxy server on theserver-side of the distributed proxy system shown in the example of FIG.3A which is capable of managing and detecting cache defeating mechanismsand monitoring content sources.

FIG. 4A depicts a timing diagram showing how data requests from a mobiledevice mobile device (e.g., any wireless device) to an applicationserver/content provider in a wireless network (or broadband network) canbe coordinated by a distributed proxy system in a manner such thatnetwork and battery resources are conserved through using contentcaching and monitoring performed by the distributed proxy system.

FIG. 4B depicts an interaction diagram showing how application polls forcontent from an application server/content provider which employscache-defeating mechanisms in content identifiers (e.g., identifiersintended to defeat caching) in a wireless network can still be detectedand locally cached.

FIG. 5 depicts a diagram showing one example process for implementing ahybrid IP and SMS power saving mode on a mobile device (e.g., anywireless device) using a distributed proxy and cache system (e.g., suchas the distributed system shown in the example of FIG. 1B).

FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram illustrating an example process fordistributed content caching between a mobile device (e.g., any wirelessdevice) and remote proxy and the distributed management of contentcaching.

FIGS. 7A-B depicts example request-response pairs showing cacheableresponses addressed by identifiers with changing parameters.

FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for usinglocal cache to respond to a polling request even when a cache defeatingmechanism is employed in the identifier used to address content by thepolling request.

FIG. 9 depicts a flow chart illustrating example processes fordetermining whether to cache content from a particular host server(content source).

FIG. 10 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process fordetecting cache defeat using a changing parameter in an identifier of adata request and using cached responses to server the data request.

FIG. 11 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for cachingcontent from sources employing cache-defeating mechanisms in theidentifiers using the pattern, syntax, or format of identifiersassociated with the sources.

FIG. 12 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process fordetermining whether a parameter in an identifier defeats caching of theaddressed content and determining cacheability of the addressed content.

FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exampleform of a computer system within which a set of instructions, forcausing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not tobe construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described toprovide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in certaininstances, well-known or conventional details are not described in orderto avoid obscuring the description. References to “one embodiment” or“an embodiment” in the present disclosure can be, but not necessarilyare, references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean atleast one of the embodiments.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic describedin connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodimentof the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” invarious places in the specification are not necessarily all referring tothe same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodimentsmutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features aredescribed which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others.Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirementsfor some embodiments but not other embodiments.

The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinarymeanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in thespecific context where each term is used. Certain terms that are used todescribe the disclosure are discussed below, or elsewhere in thespecification, to provide additional guidance to the practitionerregarding the description of the disclosure. For convenience, certainterms may be highlighted, for example using italics and/or quotationmarks. The use of highlighting has no influence on the scope and meaningof a term; the scope and meaning of a term is the same, in the samecontext, whether or not it is highlighted. It will be appreciated thatsame thing can be said in more than one way.

Consequently, alternative language and synonyms may be used for any oneor more of the terms discussed herein, nor is any special significanceto be placed upon whether or not a term is elaborated or discussedherein. Synonyms for certain terms are provided. A recital of one ormore synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use ofexamples anywhere in this specification, including examples of any termsdiscussed herein, is illustrative only, and is not intended to furtherlimit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplifiedterm. Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to various embodimentsgiven in this specification.

Without intent to limit the scope of the disclosure, examples ofinstruments, apparatus, methods and their related results according tothe embodiments of the present disclosure are given below. Note thattitles or subtitles may be used in the examples for convenience of areader, which in no way should limit the scope of the disclosure. Unlessotherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein havethe same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in theart to which this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, thepresent document, including definitions will control.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods forcache defeat detection and, whereby the content is otherwise cacheable,caching of content addressed by identifiers intended to defeat cache.

One embodiment of the disclosed technology includes, a system thatoptimizes multiple aspects of the connection with wired and wirelessnetworks and devices through a comprehensive view of device andapplication activity including: loading, current application needs on adevice, controlling the type of access (push vs. pull or hybrid),location, concentration of users in a single area, time of day, howoften the user interacts with the application, content or device, andusing this information to shape traffic to a cooperative client/serveror simultaneously mobile devices without a cooperative client. Becausethe disclosed server is not tied to any specific network provider it hasvisibility into the network performance across all service providers.This enables optimizations to be applied to devices regardless of theoperator or service provider, thereby enhancing the user experience andmanaging network utilization while roaming. Bandwidth has beenconsidered a major issue in wireless networks today. More and moreresearch has been done related to the need for additional bandwidth tosolve access problems—many of the performance enhancing solutions andnext generation standards, such as those commonly referred to as 4G,namely LTE, 4G, and WiMAX are focused on providing increased bandwidth.Although partially addressed by the standards a key problem that remainsis lack of bandwidth on the signaling channel more so than the datachannel.

Embodiments of the disclosed technology includes, for example, alignmentof requests from multiple applications to minimize the need for severalpolling requests; leverage specific content types to determine how toproxy/manage a connection/content; and apply specific heuristicsassociated with device, user behavioral patterns (how often theyinteract with the device/application) and/or network parameters.

Embodiments of the present technology can further include, movingrecurring HTTP polls performed by various widgets, RSS readers, etc., toremote network node (e.g., Network Operation Center (NOC)), thusconsiderably lowering device battery/power consumption, radio channelsignaling, and bandwidth usage. Additionally, the offloading can beperformed transparently so that existing applications do not need to bechanged.

In some embodiments, this can be implemented using a local proxy on themobile device (e.g., any wireless device) which automatically detectsrecurring requests for the same content (RSS feed, Widget data set) thatmatches a specific rule (e.g., happens every 15 minutes). The localproxy can automatically cache the content on the mobile device whiledelegating the polling to the server (e.g., a proxy server operated asan element of a communications network). The server can then notify themobile/client proxy if the content changes, and if content has notchanged (or not changed sufficiently, or in an identified manner oramount) the mobile proxy provides the latest version in its cache to theuser (without need to utilize the radio at all). This way the mobile orwireless device (e.g., a mobile phone, smart phone, M2M module/MODEM, orany other wireless devices, etc.) does not need to open up (e.g., thuspowering on the radio) or use a data connection if the request is forcontent that is monitored and that has been not flagged as new/changed.

The logic for automatically adding content sources/application servers(e.g., including URLs/content) to be monitored can also check forvarious factors like how often the content is the same, how often thesame request is made (is there a fixed interval/pattern?), whichapplication is requesting the data, etc. Similar rules to decide betweenusing the cache and request the data from the original source may alsobe implemented and executed by the local proxy and/or server.

For example, when the request comes at an unscheduled/unexpected time(user initiated check), or after every (n) consecutive times theresponse has been provided from the cache, etc., or if the applicationis running in the background vs. in a more interactive mode of theforeground. As more and more applications (e.g., mobile applications) orwireless enabled applications base their features on resources availablein the network, this becomes increasingly important. In addition, thedisclosed technology allows elimination of unnecessary chatter from thenetwork, benefiting the operators trying to optimize the wirelessspectrum usage.

Intelligent Cache Management of Non-Cacheable Content

By detecting the rate and type of requests to a content source orapplication server (which may be identified by identifiers such as a URIor URL), combined with determining the state information of the mobiledevice (e.g., whether the backlight is on or off) or the user, thedistributed proxy system (e.g., the local proxy (e.g., on the mobiledevice 150 of FIGS. 1A-B) and/or the proxy server (e.g., on the hostserver 100 of FIGS. 1A-B)) can, for example, determine the differencebetween content that is automatically refreshed, programmaticallyrefreshed or content that is requested by the user in the foreground.Using this information, along with the network conditions such as theTCP connection delay, bandwidth availability, network congestion/failureinformation, and/or Round Trip Time (RTT), current radio coveragestatistics, the disclosed proxy system can determine whether to and whento cache content locally on the mobile device mobile device (e.g., anywireless device), to satisfy future content requests. If content isalready cached, then the cached version can be presented to the user. Ifnot, the request is passed through over the mobile network to thecontent server/host (e.g., server/host 110 of FIGS. 1A-1B) and thefreshly retrieved content can be presented to the requestingclient/application (e.g., mobile application) on the mobile device(e.g., mobile device 150 of FIGS. 1A-1B).

To preserve user experience (or user perception), the discloseddistributed proxy system can determine and utilize the “criticality ofan application” as a factor. For example, financial applications may beconsidered time critical so that these application requests are notcached but instead allowed to go over the wireless broadband or themobile network to retrieve current data. An application, by name ortype, can be considered critical at the time of provisioning ordetermined by programmatic observation of user interaction over time.That is, the sever-side component (e.g., host server 100 of FIGS. 1A-1B)of the distributed proxy system can be provisioned with “profiles” whichindicate the criticality of the application and/or additionalapplication or user information. This profile can be communicated to thedevice side component (e.g., local proxy 175 of FIG. 1B) of the proxysystem during initialization or subsequent establishment of pollingrequests.

A set of criteria (e.g., including application profile information) canbe applied to content sources/application servers (e.g., each associatedresource or resource identifier) to determine the suitability of relatedcontent for caching (size, etc.). The profile can further be used toidentify applications for which caching will typically not beappropriate, such as the Google Market. Additionally, the pattern (e.g.,periodicity or time interval) of each request as identified by aspecific identifier (e.g., a resource of resource identifier) associatedwith a content source/application server can be monitored by thedistributed system such that polling behavior can be determined, and thecontent cached accordingly.

When content from a content source/application server has beenidentified as suitable for caching, a message can be transmitted to theserver-side component of the disclosed proxy system requesting that thatthe content associated with the content source/application server bemonitored for changes. When the server detects that the content has beenaltered, the server transmits a message to the device-side componentinstructing it to invalidate whatever cache elements are associated withthat URI.

In some instances, memory usage parameters of a mobile device (e.g., asdescribed by the carrier configuration) are factored in when caching. Assuch, the client-side component of the disclosed distributed proxy willusually not use more than the specified percentage of available memoryspace for cache entries (e.g., as specified by the device manufacturer,operating system, applications, etc.). In addition to total memoryusage, the client-side component of the distributed proxy can implementa configurable limit on the total number of cache entries stored acrossmultiple applications or on a per-application basis.

Cache entries stored on the mobile device (e.g., any wireless device)can be aged out automatically by the client-side component of thedistributed proxy as determined, for example, by configurable parameters(e.g., by the user, based on application-need, network service providerrequirements, OS requirements, etc.). Additionally, cache elements maybe removed to remain in compliance with disk usage or entry countrestrictions. In some instances, the client-side component (local proxy)can invalidate the entire cache storage should the server-side proxy(proxy server) become unavailable. In one embodiment, the client-sidecomponent of the distributed proxy system can encrypt cached content.

Recognizing and Detecting “Cache-Defeating” Applications

For certain applications, caching may not be suitable depending on thetype of content, the nature of the content, or user experience may becompromised, for example, applications with time sensitive data (e.g.,financial stock information) where content changes frequently and may betime-critical to a user. To implement this, the disclosed system can,for example, maintain a list of “cache-defeating” clients andapplications to process. The HTTP traffic generated by applications fromthis list can be inspected for known “cache-defeating” patterns (seebelow).

Traffic and applications which are not recognized as beingcache-defeating and the traffic from other applications can be processedoutside of the “cache-defeating” management processes. For example, ifthey employ cache-defeating URIs no caching will be performed. In oneembodiment, to decide on whether caching is to be employed for a givenrequest or requests directed to a given content source (e.g.,application server and/or content provider), the identifier (e.g., URIor URL) associated with the request can processed and analyzed to (a)determine which mobile client or application (e.g., mobile application)has sent the request generating the traffic and/or (b) determine whetherthe content source to which the request is directed is attempting todefeat caches through various cache-defeating mechanisms.

Processing “Cache-Defeating” Identifiers (URIs/URLs)

Each processed application has a profile that can be used by theclient/device-side proxy to process application-generated URI or otherdata. The disclosed technology recognizes the identifier (e.g., URI)format for key applications with “cache-defeating” URIs or other typesof identifiers (e.g., those on the cache-defeating list). This is doneby converting the incoming URI into a “normalized” URI and comparingthat with the existing cache entries.

A majority of the cache defeaters employ a schema where a changingnumber or parameter is attached to or included in the identifier(URI/URL). A “normalized” URI refers to an identifier (URI/URI) wherethis number has been removed or otherwise modified to eliminate theeffect of the URI on the hash value of the identifier. Existing cacheentries are stored and accessed using the “normalized” URI as a key(e.g., via a lookup table). If content/responses for the URI is alreadycached and the server-side proxy is monitoring it for contentchanges/updates, then the proxy (e.g., including the device/client-sidelocal proxy and/or the server-side proxy server) makes a decision todetermine if the response can be made using the data stored in the localcache (e.g., local being on the mobile device). The decision is based onthe application current background/foreground status and applicationclass (as described below).

If the URI is not cached, then this HTTP request can then be processedby regular HTTP processing. The response can be read and the decision ismade on whether or not to cache the content at this point. The decisioncan be based on any suitable criteria, such as identical content beingreturned in response to multiple requests, but can also be based on amore complicated analysis (such as being based on applicationcharacteristics by using application profiles which may evolve over timeand/or dynamic in general based on various conditions). If the contentis cached, a request to the proxy server is made to set up monitoring ofthe application server/content host for content changes to ensure thatfresh content, or near-fresh content, is provided to the user and/oracknowledged by the distributed proxy. The parts of this request mayinclude the original, non-normalized URI, poll frequency, andtime-to-live information.

The server makes the request using the provided URI and caches thecontent or unique metric of the content behind this URI for futurecomparisons. Using the detected polling schedule (as described below)the server makes decisions whether the device needs to be updated withthe new content or not. Some example caching processes are illustratedbelow for time/date parameter and random number parameter detection:CASE 1: TIME AND DATE DETECTION

Time and/or date parameters can be identified by identifying time/dateformats, for example, some of the formats are specified by Android inthe documents at:http://developer.android.com/reference/java/util/Date.html. The contentsof which are incorporated by reference herein.

Some date/time formats that can be detected include: YYYYMMDDHHIISS andresults in the following example URLs:http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=2011071118151120, Orhttp://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? date=2011-07-11%1815:11:20, orhttp://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=1310408111.

Date and time may be in a single parameter in the examples above, or inmultiple parameters like the case of:http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=2011-07-11&time=1815:11:20.Additionally HTTP allows the following date formats in headers: Sun, 6Nov. 1994 08:49:37 GMT; Sunday, 6 Nov. 94 08:49:37 GMT; Sun Nov 608:49:37 1994.

In detecting the parameters for the purposes of caching, some exampleprocesses include the following 1) the parameter format is generallyidentified, rather than the name of the parameter. For example, aparameter might have any name but have a date/time format; 2) in generalchanging parameters are detected and identified, rather than staticparameters; 3) In some instances, parameters such as dates and timeschanging within a tolerance (within 20% of processing them) are detectedand processed for normalization, and 4) Content which does not changebetween polls is cached.

For example, consider the following request response pairs:

1. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?x=5&y=10&t=1310408111

RESPONSE=Z

2. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&y=10&t=1310409311

RESPONSE=Z

3. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&y=10&t=1310411111

RESPONSE=Z

The system detects what is changing, in this case, it is detectedthat 1) t changes between request 1 and 2; 2) t is formatted in lengthas unix time; 3) a comparison of current unix time to t is within 20%tolerance; 3) content does not change after three consecutive polls.

We can then conclude t=unix time and: 1. cache the response Z; 2. send astart poll with a marker in the position of the parameter “t” like:

START_POLL http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?x=5&y=10&t=#EPOCH#

HASH OF CONTENT

1. the server then begins to poll the resource inserting UNIX TIME of#EPOCH#

Date without DOES matter as we could cross a midnight boundary so wewant to detect those as well and escape those for the server. The serveralways replaces the escape with the correct date or time. Some exampleURLs include:

EXAMPLE: http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=2011071118151120

CONVERT: START_POLL

http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=#YYYYMMDDHHMMSSMS#INITIALIZE: date=2011071118151120

HASH OF CONTENT

EXAMPLE: http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=2011-07-11%1815:11:20

CONVERT: START_POLL

http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?date=#YYYY-MM-DD % HHMM:SS:MS#

INITIALIZE: date=2011-07-11%1815:11:20

HASH OF CONTENT

In general, if a parameter is cannot be confirmed to be a date/timeparameter, the system generally will not cache the content unless thereis an application handler which instructs otherwise.

Random numbers in URLs can also be detected. Examples of such parameterscan include, for example, long-poll idle timers and other suchparameters. For example,

1. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?x=5&idle=180 RESPONSE=Z

2. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&idle=240 RESPONSE=Z

3. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&idle=680 RESPONSE=Z

In this case we not only detect a long poll event but we also can detectthe idle time out parameter in the URL. Just as above we see theparameter idle changes, but the content hash does not. Further we candetect this is a long_poll event. So in the case we would start along_poll on the serve and ignore the changing parameter “idle” in theURL hash for caching purposes.

EXAMPLE (RANDOM NUMBER−RISKY, BUT RECOVERABLE)

This is the same case as above (LONG_POLL) but no long poll activity isdetected

1. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi?x=5&y=n RESPONSE=Z

2. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&y=n+i RESPONSE=Z

3. REQUEST=http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&y=n*c RESPONSE=Z

In this case it can be detected that y is changing but it appears tohave no impact on the response (a further way to optimize safety is tolook for keywords like no-cache, etc. associated with the randomnumber).

In this case with no-long poll, a normal start_poll excluding y from thehash and the last known ‘y’ value or another previous ‘y’ value can besent to the server.

CONVERT: START_POLL http://www.somedomain.com/xxx.cgi? x=5&y=n*c HASH OFCONTENT

If the server receives an error for the content source it willinvalidate with a request to blacklist the URI to prevent subsequentcaching. If the content does not match, in general, the content is nothashed.

Polling Schedule

Detecting (or determining) a polling schedule allows the proxy server(server-side of the distributed cache system) to be as close as possiblewith its polls to the application polls. Many applications employscheduled interval polling (e.g., every 4 hours or every 30 seconds, atanother time interval). The client side proxy can detect automatic pollsbased on time measurements and create a automatic polling profile for anapplication. As an example, the local proxy attempts to detect the timeinterval between requests and after 2, 3, 4, or more polls, determinesan automatic rate if the time intervals are all within 1 second (oranother measure of relative closeness) of each other. If not, the clientmay collect data from a greater number of polling events (e.g., 10-12polls) and apply a statistical analysis to determine, compute, orestimate a value for the average interval that is used. The pollingprofile is delivered to the server where it is used. If it is a frequentmanual request, the locally proxy can substitute it with a defaultinterval for this application taken from a profile for non-criticalapplications.

In some embodiments, the local proxy (e.g., device side proxy) may keepmonitoring the application/client polls and update the polling interval.If it changes by more than 30% (or anotherpredetermined/dynamic/conditional value) from the current value, it iscommunicated to the proxy server (e.g., server-side proxy). Thisapproach can be referred to as the scenario of “lost interest”. In someinstances, the local proxy can recognize requests made outside of thisschedule, consider them “manual”, and treat them accordingly.

Application Classes/Modes of Caching

In some embodiments, applications can be organized into three groups ormodes of caching. Each mobile client/application can be categorized tobe treated as one of these modes, or treated using multiple modes,depending on one or more conditions.

A) Fully cached—local proxy updates (e.g., sends application requestsdirectly over the network to be serviced by the applicationserver/content host) only when the proxy server tells the local proxy toupdate. In this mode, the local proxy can ignore manual requests and theproxy server uses the detected automatic profile (e.g., sports scoreapplets, Facebook, every 10, 15, 30 s. or more polls) to poll theapplication server/content provider.

B) partially cached—the local proxy uses the local or internal cache forautomatic requests (e.g., application automatic refreshes), otherscheduled requests but passes through some manual requests (e.g., emaildownload, Ebay or some Facebook requests); and

C) Never cached (e.g., real-time stock ticker, sports scores/statuses,however, in some instances, 15 minutes delayed quotes can be safelyplaced on 30 seconds schedule—B or even A).

The actual application or caching mode classification can be determinedbased on the rate of content change and critical character of data.Unclassified applications by default can be set as class C.

Backlight and Active Applications

In some embodiments, the local proxy starts by detecting the devicebacklight status. Requests made with the screen light “off” can beallowed to use the local cache if a request with identical signature isregistered with the proxy server, which is polling the original hostserver/content server(s) to which the requests are directed. If thescreen light is “on”, further detection can be made to determine whetherit is a background application or for other indicators that local cacheentries can or cannot be used to satisfy the request. When identified,the requests for which local entries can be used may be processedidentically to the screen light off situation. Foreground requests canuse the aforementioned application classification to assess when cacheddata is safe to use to process requests.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example diagram of a system where a host server100 facilitates management of traffic, content caching, and/or resourceconservation between clients (e.g., mobile devices, any wireless deviceor clients/applications on client devices 150) and an application serveror content provider 110 in a wireless network (or broad band network)106 or 108 for resource conservation.

The client devices 150 can be any system and/or device, and/or anycombination of devices/systems that is able to establish a connection,including wired, wireless, cellular connections with another device, aserver and/or other systems such as host server 100 and/or applicationserver/content provider 110. Client devices 150 will typically include adisplay and/or other output functionalities to present information anddata exchanged between among the devices 150 and/or the host server 100and/or application server/content provider 110.

For example, the client devices 150 can include mobile, hand held orportable devices, wireless devices, or non-portable devices and can beany of, but not limited to, a server desktop, a desktop computer, acomputer cluster, or portable devices, including a notebook, a laptopcomputer, a handheld computer, a palmtop computer, a mobile phone, acell phone, a smart phone, a PDA, a Blackberry device, a Palm device, ahandheld tablet (e.g., an iPad or any other tablet), a hand heldconsole, a hand held gaming device or console, any SuperPhone such asthe iPhone, and/or any other portable, mobile, hand held devices, orfixed wireless interface such as a M2M device, etc. In one embodiment,the client devices 150, host server 100, and application server 110 arecoupled via a network 106 and/or a network 108. In some embodiments, thedevices 150 and host server 100 may be directly connected to oneanother.

The input mechanism on client devices 150 can include touch screenkeypad (including single touch, multi-touch, gesture sensing in 2D or3D, etc.), a physical keypad, a mouse, a pointer, a track pad, motiondetector (e.g., including 1-axis, 2-axis, 3-axis accelerometer, etc.), alight sensor, capacitance sensor, resistance sensor, temperature sensor,proximity sensor, a piezoelectric device, device orientation detector(e.g., electronic compass, tilt sensor, rotation sensor, gyroscope,accelerometer), or a combination of the above.

Signals received or detected indicating user activity at client devices150 through one or more of the above input mechanism, or others, can beused in the disclosed technology in acquiring context awareness at theclient device 150. Context awareness at client devices 150 generallyincludes, by way of example but not limitation, client device 150operation or state acknowledgement, management, useractivity/behavior/interaction awareness, detection, sensing, tracking,trending, and/or application (e.g., mobile applications) type, behavior,activity, operating state, etc.

Context awareness in the present disclosure also includes knowledge anddetection of network side contextual data and can include networkinformation such as network capacity, bandwidth, traffic, type ofnetwork/connectivity, and/or any other operational state data. Networkside contextual data can be received from and/or queried from networkservice providers (e.g., cell provider 112 and/or Internet serviceproviders) of the network 106 and/or network 108 (e.g., by the hostserver and/or devices 150). In addition to application context awarenessas determined from the client 150 side, the application contextawareness may also be received from or obtained/queried from therespective application/service providers 110 (by the host 100 and/orclient devices 150).

The host server 100 can use, for example, contextual informationobtained for client devices 150, networks 106/108, applications (e.g.,mobile applications), application server/provider 110, or anycombination of the above, to manage the traffic in the system to satisfydata needs of the client devices 150 (e.g., to satisfy application orany other request including HTTP request). In one embodiment, thetraffic is managed by the host server 100 to satisfy data requests madein response to explicit or non-explicit user 103 requests and/ordevice/application maintenance tasks. The traffic can be managed suchthat network consumption, for example, use of the cellular network isconserved for effective and efficient bandwidth utilization. Inaddition, the host server 100 can manage and coordinate such traffic inthe system such that use of device 150 side resources (e.g., includingbut not limited to battery power consumption, radio use,processor/memory use) are optimized with a general philosophy forresource conservation while still optimizing performance and userexperience.

For example, in context of battery conservation, the device 150 canobserve user activity (for example, by observing user keystrokes,backlight status, or other signals via one or more input mechanisms,etc.) and alters device 150 behaviors. The device 150 can also requestthe host server 100 to alter the behavior for network resourceconsumption based on user activity or behavior.

In one embodiment, the traffic management for resource conservation isperformed using a distributed system between the host server 100 andclient device 150. The distributed system can include proxy server andcache components on the server side 100 and on the device/client side,for example, as shown by the server cache 135 on the server 100 side andthe local cache 185 on the client 150 side.

Functions and techniques disclosed for context aware traffic managementfor resource conservation in networks (e.g., network 106 and/or 108) anddevices 150, reside in a distributed proxy and cache system. The proxyand cache system can be distributed between, and reside on, a givenclient device 150 in part or in whole and/or host server 100 in part orin whole. The distributed proxy and cache system are illustrated withfurther reference to the example diagram shown in FIG. 1B. Functions andtechniques performed by the proxy and cache components in the clientdevice 150, the host server 100, and the related components therein aredescribed, respectively, in detail with further reference to theexamples of FIGS. 2-3.

In one embodiment, client devices 150 communicate with the host server100 and/or the application server 110 over network 106, which can be acellular network and/or a broadband network. To facilitate overalltraffic management between devices 150 and various applicationservers/content providers 110 to implement network (bandwidthutilization) and device resource (e.g., battery consumption), the hostserver 100 can communicate with the application server/providers 110over the network 108, which can include the Internet (e.g., a broadbandnetwork).

In general, the networks 106 and/or 108, over which the client devices150, the host server 100, and/or application server 110 communicate, maybe a cellular network, a broadband network, a telephonic network, anopen network, such as the Internet, or a private network, such as anintranet and/or the extranet, or any combination thereof. For example,the Internet can provide file transfer, remote log in, email, news, RSS,cloud-based services, instant messaging, visual voicemail, push mail,VoIP, and other services through any known or convenient protocol, suchas, but is not limited to the TCP/IP protocol, UDP, HTTP, DNS, FTP,UPnP, NSF, ISDN, PDH, RS-232, SDH, SONET, etc.

The networks 106 and/or 108 can be any collection of distinct networksoperating wholly or partially in conjunction to provide connectivity tothe client devices 150 and the host server 100 and may appear as one ormore networks to the serviced systems and devices. In one embodiment,communications to and from the client devices 150 can be achieved by, anopen network, such as the Internet, or a private network, broadbandnetwork, such as an intranet and/or the extranet. In one embodiment,communications can be achieved by a secure communications protocol, suchas secure sockets layer (SSL), or transport layer security (TLS).

In addition, communications can be achieved via one or more networks,such as, but are not limited to, one or more of WiMax, a Local AreaNetwork (LAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Personal areanetwork (PAN), a Campus area network (CAN), a Metropolitan area network(MAN), a Wide area network (WAN), a Wireless wide area network (WWAN),or any broadband network, and further enabled with technologies such as,by way of example, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),Personal Communications Service (PCS), Bluetooth, WiFi, Fixed WirelessData, 2G, 2.5G, 3G, 4G, IMT-Advanced, pre-4G, LTE Advanced, mobileWiMax, WiMax 2, WirelessMAN-Advanced networks, enhanced data rates forGSM evolution (EDGE), General packet radio service (GPRS), enhancedGPRS, iBurst, UMTS, HSPDA, HSUPA, HSPA, UMTS-TDD, 1xRTT, EV-DO,messaging protocols such as, TCP/IP, SMS, MMS, extensible messaging andpresence protocol (XMPP), real time messaging protocol (RTMP), instantmessaging and presence protocol (IMPP), instant messaging, USSD, IRC, orany other wireless data networks, broadband networks, or messagingprotocols.

FIG. 1B illustrates an example diagram of a proxy and cache systemdistributed between the host server 100 and device 150 which facilitatesnetwork traffic management between the device 150 and an applicationserver/content provider 100 (e.g., a source server) for resourceconservation and content caching.

The distributed proxy and cache system can include, for example, theproxy server 125 (e.g., remote proxy) and the server cache, 135components on the server side. The server-side proxy 125 and cache 135can, as illustrated, reside internal to the host server 100. Inaddition, the proxy server 125 and cache 135 on the server-side can bepartially or wholly external to the host server 100 and in communicationvia one or more of the networks 106 and 108. For example, the proxyserver 125 may be external to the host server and the server cache 135may be maintained at the host server 100. Alternatively, the proxyserver 125 may be within the host server 100 while the server cache isexternal to the host server 100. In addition, each of the proxy server125 and the cache 135 may be partially internal to the host server 100and partially external to the host server 100.

The distributed system can also, include, in one embodiment, client-sidecomponents, including by way of example but not limitation, a localproxy 175 (e.g., a mobile client on a mobile device) and/or a localcache 185, which can, as illustrated, reside internal to the device 150(e.g., a mobile device).

In addition, the client-side proxy 175 and local cache 185 can bepartially or wholly external to the device 150 and in communication viaone or more of the networks 106 and 108. For example, the local proxy175 may be external to the device 150 and the local cache 185 may bemaintained at the device 150. Alternatively, the local proxy 175 may bewithin the device 150 while the local cache 185 is external to thedevice 150. In addition, each of the proxy 175 and the cache 185 may bepartially internal to the host server 100 and partially external to thehost server 100.

In one embodiment, the distributed system can include an optionalcaching proxy server 199. The caching proxy server 199 can be acomponent which is operated by the application server/content provider110, the host server 100, or a network service provider 112, and or anycombination of the above to facilitate network traffic management fornetwork and device resource conservation. Proxy server 199 can be used,for example, for caching content to be provided to the device 150, forexample, from one or more of, the application server/provider 110, hostserver 100, and/or a network service provider 112. Content caching canalso be entirely or partially performed by the remote proxy 125 tosatisfy application requests or other data requests at the device 150.

In context aware traffic management and optimization for resourceconservation in a network (e.g., cellular or other wireless networks),characteristics of user activity/behavior and/or application behavior ata mobile device (e.g., any wireless device) 150 can be tracked by thelocal proxy 175 and communicated, over the network 106 to the proxyserver 125 component in the host server 100, for example, as connectionmetadata. The proxy server 125 which in turn is coupled to theapplication server/provider 110 provides content and data to satisfyrequests made at the device 150.

In addition, the local proxy 175 can identify and retrieve mobile deviceproperties, including one or more of, battery level, network that thedevice is registered on, radio state, or whether the mobile device isbeing used (e.g., interacted with by a user). In some instances, thelocal proxy 175 can delay, expedite (prefetch), and/or modify data priorto transmission to the proxy server 125, when appropriate, as will befurther detailed with references to the description associated with theexamples of FIGS. 2-3.

The local database 185 can be included in the local proxy 175 or coupledto the local proxy 175 and can be queried for a locally stored responseto the data request prior to the data request being forwarded on to theproxy server 125. Locally cached responses can be used by the localproxy 175 to satisfy certain application requests of the mobile device150, by retrieving cached content stored in the cache storage 185, whenthe cached content is still valid.

Similarly, the proxy server 125 of the host server 100 can also delay,expedite, or modify data from the local proxy prior to transmission tothe content sources (e.g., the application server/content provider 110).In addition, the proxy server 125 uses device properties and connectionmetadata to generate rules for satisfying request of applications on themobile device 150. The proxy server 125 can gather real time trafficinformation about requests of applications for later use in optimizingsimilar connections with the mobile device 150 or other mobile devices.

In general, the local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 are transparentto the multiple applications executing on the mobile device. The localproxy 175 is generally transparent to the operating system or platformof the mobile device and may or may not be specific to devicemanufacturers. In some instances, the local proxy 175 is optionallycustomizable in part or in whole to be device specific. In someembodiments, the local proxy 175 may be bundled into a wireless model, afirewall, and/or a router.

In one embodiment, the host server 100 can in some instances, utilizethe store and forward functions of a short message service center (SMSC)112, such as that provided by the network service provider, incommunicating with the device 150 in achieving network trafficmanagement. Note that 112 can also utilize any other type of alternativechannel including USSD or other network control mechanisms. As will befurther described with reference to the example of FIG. 3, the hostserver 100 can forward content or HTTP responses to the SMSC 112 suchthat it is automatically forwarded to the device 150 if available, andfor subsequent forwarding if the device 150 is not currently available.

In general, the disclosed distributed proxy and cache system allowsoptimization of network usage, for example, by serving requests from thelocal cache 185, the local proxy 175 reduces the number of requests thatneed to be satisfied over the network 106. Further, the local proxy 175and the proxy server 125 may filter irrelevant data from thecommunicated data. In addition, the local proxy 175 and the proxy server125 can also accumulate low priority data and send it in batches toavoid the protocol overhead of sending individual data fragments. Thelocal proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 can also compress or transcodethe traffic, reducing the amount of data sent over the network 106and/or 108. The signaling traffic in the network 106 and/or 108 can bereduced, as the networks are now used less often and the network trafficcan be synchronized among individual applications.

With respect to the battery life of the mobile device 150, by servingapplication or content requests from the local cache 185, the localproxy 175 can reduce the number of times the radio module is powered up.The local proxy 175 and the proxy server 125 can work in conjunction toaccumulate low priority data and send it in batches to reduce the numberof times and/or amount of time when the radio is powered up. The localproxy 175 can synchronize the network use by performing the batched datatransfer for all connections simultaneously.

FIG. 2A depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of client-sidecomponents in a distributed proxy and cache system residing on a device250 that manages traffic in a wireless network for resourceconservation, content caching, and/or traffic management.

The device 250, which can be a portable or mobile device (e.g., anywireless device), such as a portable phone, generally includes, forexample, a network interface 208208 an operating system 204, a contextAPI 206, and applications (e.g., mobile applications) which may beproxy-unaware 210 or proxy-aware 220. Note that the device 250 isspecifically illustrated in the example of FIG. 2 as a mobile device,such is not a limitation and that device 250 may be any portable/mobileor non-portable device able to receive, transmit signals to satisfy datarequests over a network including wired or wireless networks (e.g.,WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, etc.).

The network interface 208 can be a networking module that enables thedevice 250 to mediate data in a network with an entity that is externalto the host server 250, through any known and/or convenientcommunications protocol supported by the host and the external entity.The network interface 208 can include one or more of a network adaptorcard, a wireless network interface card (e.g., SMS interface, WiFiinterface, interfaces for various generations of mobile communicationstandards including but not limited to 2G, 3G, 3.5G, 4G, LTE, etc.,),Bluetooth, or whether or not the connection is via a router, an accesspoint, a wireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocolconverter, a gateway, a bridge, a bridge router, a hub, a digital mediareceiver, and/or a repeater.

Device 250 can further include, client-side components of thedistributed proxy and cache system which can include, a local proxy 275(e.g., a mobile client of a mobile device) and a cache 285. In oneembodiment, the local proxy 275 includes a user activity module 215, aproxy API 225, a request/transaction manager 235, a caching policymanager 245 having an application protocol module 248, a traffic shapingengine 255, and/or a connection manager 265. The traffic shaping engine255 may further include an alignment module 256 and/or a batching module257, the connection manager 265 may further include a radio controller266. The request/transaction manager 235 can further include anapplication behavior detector 236 and/or a prioritization engine 241,the application behavior detector 236 may further include a patterndetector 237 and/or and application profile generator 239. Additional orless components/modules/engines can be included in the local proxy 275and each illustrated component.

As used herein, a “module,” “a manager,” a “handler,” a “detector,” an“interface,” a “controller,” a “normalizer,” a “generator,” an“invalidator,” or an “engine” includes a general purpose, dedicated orshared processor and, typically, firmware or software modules that areexecuted by the processor. Depending upon implementation-specific orother considerations, the module, manager, handler, detector, interface,controller, normalizer, generator, invalidator, or engine can becentralized or its functionality distributed. The module, manager,handler, detector, interface, controller, normalizer, generator,invalidator, or engine can include general or special purpose hardware,firmware, or software embodied in a computer-readable (storage) mediumfor execution by the processor.

As used herein, a computer-readable medium or computer-readable storagemedium is intended to include all mediums that are statutory (e.g., inthe United States, under 35 U.S.C. 101), and to specifically exclude allmediums that are non-statutory in nature to the extent that theexclusion is necessary for a claim that includes the computer-readable(storage) medium to be valid. Known statutory computer-readable mediumsinclude hardware (e.g., registers, random access memory (RAM),non-volatile (NV) storage, to name a few), but may or may not be limitedto hardware.

In one embodiment, a portion of the distributed proxy and cache systemfor network traffic management resides in or is in communication withdevice 250, including local proxy 275 (mobile client) and/or cache 285.The local proxy 275 can provide an interface on the device 250 for usersto access device applications and services including email, IM, voicemail, visual voicemail, feeds, Internet, games, productivity tools, orother applications, etc.

The proxy 275 is generally application independent and can be used byapplications (e.g., both proxy-aware and proxy-unaware applications 210and 220 or mobile applications) to open TCP connections to a remoteserver (e.g., the server 100 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-1B and/orserver proxy 125/325 shown in the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A). Insome instances, the local proxy 275 includes a proxy API 225 which canbe optionally used to interface with proxy-aware applications 220 (orapplications (e.g., mobile applications) on a mobile device (e.g., anywireless device)).

The applications 210 and 220 can generally include any user application,widgets, software, HTTP-based application, web browsers, video or othermultimedia streaming or downloading application, video games, socialnetwork applications, email clients, RSS management applications,application stores, document management applications, productivityenhancement applications, etc. The applications can be provided with thedevice OS, by the device manufacturer, by the network service provider,downloaded by the user, or provided by others.

One embodiment of the local proxy 275 includes or is coupled to acontext API 206, as shown. The context API 206 may be a part of theoperating system 204 or device platform or independent of the operatingsystem 204, as illustrated. The operating system 204 can include anyoperating system including but not limited to, any previous, current,and/or future versions/releases of, Windows Mobile, iOS, Android,Symbian, Palm OS, Brew MP, Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME), Blackberry, etc.

The context API 206 may be a plug-in to the operating system 204 or aparticular client/application on the device 250. The context API 206 candetect signals indicative of user or device activity, for example,sensing motion, gesture, device location, changes in device location,device backlight, keystrokes, clicks, activated touch screen, mouseclick or detection of other pointer devices. The context API 206 can becoupled to input devices or sensors on the device 250 to identify thesesignals. Such signals can generally include input received in responseto explicit user input at an input device/mechanism at the device 250and/or collected from ambient signals/contextual cues detected at or inthe vicinity of the device 250 (e.g., light, motion, piezoelectric,etc.).

In one embodiment, the user activity module 215 interacts with thecontext API 206 to identify, determine, infer, detect, compute, predict,and/or anticipate, characteristics of user activity on the device 250.Various inputs collected by the context API 206 can be aggregated by theuser activity module 215 to generate a profile for characteristics ofuser activity. Such a profile can be generated by the user activitymodule 215 with various temporal characteristics. For instance, useractivity profile can be generated in real-time for a given instant toprovide a view of what the user is doing or not doing at a given time(e.g., defined by a time window, in the last minute, in the last 30seconds, etc.), a user activity profile can also be generated for a‘session’ defined by an application or web page that describes thecharacteristics of user behavior with respect to a specific task theyare engaged in on the device 250, or for a specific time period (e.g.,for the last 2 hours, for the last 5 hours).

Additionally, characteristic profiles can be generated by the useractivity module 215 to depict a historical trend for user activity andbehavior (e.g., 1 week, 1 mo., 2 mo., etc.). Such historical profilescan also be used to deduce trends of user behavior, for example, accessfrequency at different times of day, trends for certain days of the week(weekends or week days), user activity trends based on location data(e.g., IP address, GPS, or cell tower coordinate data) or changes inlocation data (e.g., user activity based on user location, or useractivity based on whether the user is on the go, or traveling outside ahome region, etc.) to obtain user activity characteristics.

In one embodiment, user activity module 215 can detect and track useractivity with respect to applications, documents, files, windows, icons,and folders on the device 250. For example, the user activity module 215can detect when an application or window (e.g., a web browser or anyother type of application) has been exited, closed, minimized,maximized, opened, moved into the foreground, or into the background,multimedia content playback, etc.

In one embodiment, characteristics of the user activity on the device250 can be used to locally adjust behavior of the device (e.g., mobiledevice or any wireless device) to optimize its resource consumption suchas battery/power consumption and more generally, consumption of otherdevice resources including memory, storage, and processing power. In oneembodiment, the use of a radio on a device can be adjusted based oncharacteristics of user behavior (e.g., by the radio controller 266 ofthe connection manager 265) coupled to the user activity module 215. Forexample, the radio controller 266 can turn the radio on or off, based oncharacteristics of the user activity on the device 250. In addition, theradio controller 266 can adjust the power mode of the radio (e.g., to bein a higher power mode or lower power mode) depending on characteristicsof user activity.

In one embodiment, characteristics of the user activity on device 250can also be used to cause another device (e.g., other computers, amobile device, a wireless device, or a non-portable device) or server(e.g., host server 100 and 300 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-B and FIG.3A) which can communicate (e.g., via a cellular or other network) withthe device 250 to modify its communication frequency with the device250. The local proxy 275 can use the characteristics information of userbehavior determined by the user activity module 215 to instruct theremote device as to how to modulate its communication frequency (e.g.,decreasing communication frequency, such as data push frequency if theuser is idle, requesting that the remote device notify the device 250 ifnew data, changed, data, or data of a certain level of importancebecomes available, etc.).

In one embodiment, the user activity module 215 can, in response todetermining that user activity characteristics indicate that a user isactive after a period of inactivity, request that a remote device (e.g.,server host server 100 and 300 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-B and FIG.3A) send the data that was buffered as a result of the previouslydecreased communication frequency.

In addition, or in alternative, the local proxy 275 can communicate thecharacteristics of user activity at the device 250 to the remote device(e.g., host server 100 and 300 in the examples of FIGS. 1A-B and FIG.3A) and the remote device determines how to alter its own communicationfrequency with the device 250 for network resource conservation andconservation of device 250 resources.

One embodiment of the local proxy 275 further includes arequest/transaction manager 235, which can detect, identify, intercept,process, manage, data requests initiated on the device 250, for example,by applications 210 and/or 220, and/or directly/indirectly by a userrequest. The request/transaction manager 235 can determine how and whento process a given request or transaction, or a set ofrequests/transactions, based on transaction characteristics.

The request/transaction manager 235 can prioritize requests ortransactions made by applications and/or users at the device 250, forexample by the prioritization engine 241. Importance or priority ofrequests/transactions can be determined by the request/transactionmanager 235 by applying a rule set, for example, according to timesensitivity of the transaction, time sensitivity of the content in thetransaction, time criticality of the transaction, time criticality ofthe data transmitted in the transaction, and/or time criticality orimportance of an application making the request.

In addition, transaction characteristics can also depend on whether thetransaction was a result of user-interaction or other user-initiatedaction on the device (e.g., user interaction with a application (e.g., amobile application)). In general, a time critical transaction caninclude a transaction resulting from a user-initiated data transfer, andcan be prioritized as such. Transaction characteristics can also dependon the amount of data that will be transferred or is anticipated to betransferred as a result of the requested transaction. For example, theconnection manager 265, can adjust the radio mode (e.g., high power orlow power mode via the radio controller 266) based on the amount of datathat will need to be transferred.

In addition, the radio controller 266/connection manager 265 can adjustthe radio power mode (high or low) based on time criticality/sensitivityof the transaction. The radio controller 266 can trigger the use of highpower radio mode when a time-critical transaction (e.g., a transactionresulting from a user-initiated data transfer, an application running inthe foreground, any other event meeting a certain criteria) is initiatedor detected.

In general, the priorities can be set by default, for example, based ondevice platform, device manufacturer, operating system, etc. Prioritiescan alternatively or in additionally be set by the particularapplication; for example, the Facebook application (e.g., a mobileapplication) can set its own priorities for various transactions (e.g.,a status update can be of higher priority than an add friend request ora poke request, a message send request can be of higher priority than amessage delete request, for example), an email client or IM chat clientmay have its own configurations for priority. The prioritization engine241 may include set of rules for assigning priority.

The prioritization engine 241 can also track network providerlimitations or specifications on application or transaction priority indetermining an overall priority status for a request/transaction.Furthermore, priority can in part or in whole be determined by userpreferences, either explicit or implicit. A user, can in general, setpriorities at different tiers, such as, specific priorities forsessions, or types, or applications (e.g., a browsing session, a gamingsession, versus an IM chat session, the user may set a gaming session toalways have higher priority than an IM chat session, which may havehigher priority than web-browsing session). A user can setapplication-specific priorities, (e.g., a user may set Facebook-relatedtransactions to have a higher priority than LinkedIn-relatedtransactions), for specific transaction types (e.g., for all sendmessage requests across all applications to have higher priority thanmessage delete requests, for all calendar-related events to have a highpriority, etc.), and/or for specific folders.

The prioritization engine 241 can track and resolve conflicts inpriorities set by different entities. For example, manual settingsspecified by the user may take precedence over device OS settings,network provider parameters/limitations (e.g., set in default for anetwork service area, geographic locale, set for a specific time of day,or set based on service/fee type) may limit any user-specified settingsand/or application-set priorities. In some instances, a manualsynchronization request received from a user can override some, most, orall priority settings in that the requested synchronization is performedwhen requested, regardless of the individually assigned priority or anoverall priority ranking for the requested action.

Priority can be specified and tracked internally in any known and/orconvenient manner, including but not limited to, a binaryrepresentation, a multi-valued representation, a graded representationand all are considered to be within the scope of the disclosedtechnology.

TABLE I Change Change (initiated on device) Priority (initiated onserver) Priority Send email High Receive email High Delete email LowEdit email Often not possible (Un)read email Low to sync (Low if Movemessage Low possible) Read more High New email in deleted Low DownloadHigh items attachment Delete an email Low New Calendar event High(Un)Read an email Low Edit/change High Move messages Low Calendar eventAny calendar change High Add a contact High Any contact change High Edita contact High Wipe/lock device High Search contacts High Settingschange High Change a setting High Any folder change High Manualsend/receive High Connector restart High (if no IM status change Mediumchanges nothing Auction outbid or High is sent) change notificationSocial Network Medium Weather Updates Low Status Updates Sever WeatherAlerts High News Updates Low

Table I above shows, for illustration purposes, some examples oftransactions with examples of assigned priorities in a binaryrepresentation scheme. Additional assignments are possible foradditional types of events, requests, transactions, and as previouslydescribed, priority assignments can be made at more or less granularlevels, e.g., at the session level or at the application level, etc.

As shown by way of example in the above table, in general, lowerpriority requests/transactions can include, updating message status asbeing read, unread, deleting of messages, deletion of contacts; higherpriority requests/transactions, can in some instances include, statusupdates, new IM chat message, new email, calendar eventupdate/cancellation/deletion, an event in a mobile gaming session, orother entertainment related events, a purchase confirmation through aweb purchase or online, request to load additional or download content,contact book related events, a transaction to change a device setting,location-aware or location-based events/transactions, or any otherevents/request/transactions initiated by a user or where the user isknown to be, expected to be, or suspected to be waiting for a response,etc.

Inbox pruning events (e.g., email, or any other types of messages), aregenerally considered low priority and absent other impending events,generally will not trigger use of the radio on the device 250.Specifically, pruning events to remove old email or other content can be‘piggy backed’ with other communications if the radio is not otherwiseon, at the time of a scheduled pruning event. For example, if the userhas preferences set to ‘keep messages for 7 days old,’ then instead ofpowering on the device radio to initiate a message delete from thedevice 250 the moment that the message has exceeded 7 days old, themessage is deleted when the radio is powered on next. If the radio isalready on, then pruning may occur as regularly scheduled.

The request/transaction manager 235, can use the priorities for requests(e.g., by the prioritization engine 241) to manage outgoing traffic fromthe device 250 for resource optimization (e.g., to utilize the deviceradio more efficiently for battery conservation). For example,transactions/requests below a certain priority ranking may not triggeruse of the radio on the device 250 if the radio is not already switchedon, as controlled by the connection manager 265. In contrast, the radiocontroller 266 can turn on the radio such a request can be sent when arequest for a transaction is detected to be over a certain prioritylevel.

In one embodiment, priority assignments (such as that determined by thelocal proxy 275 or another device/entity) can be used cause a remotedevice to modify its communication with the frequency with the mobiledevice or wireless device. For example, the remote device can beconfigured to send notifications to the device 250 when data of higherimportance is available to be sent to the mobile device or wirelessdevice.

In one embodiment, transaction priority can be used in conjunction withcharacteristics of user activity in shaping or managing traffic, forexample, by the traffic shaping engine 255. For example, the trafficshaping engine 255 can, in response to detecting that a user is dormantor inactive, wait to send low priority transactions from the device 250,for a period of time. In addition, the traffic shaping engine 255 canallow multiple low priority transactions to accumulate for batchtransferring from the device 250 (e.g., via the batching module 257). Inone embodiment, the priorities can be set, configured, or readjusted bya user. For example, content depicted in Table I in the same or similarform can be accessible in a user interface on the device 250 and forexample, used by the user to adjust or view the priorities.

The batching module 257 can initiate batch transfer based on certaincriteria. For example, batch transfer (e.g., of multiple occurrences ofevents, some of which occurred at different instances in time) may occurafter a certain number of low priority events have been detected, orafter an amount of time elapsed after the first of the low priorityevent was initiated. In addition, the batching module 257 can initiatebatch transfer of the cumulated low priority events when a higherpriority event is initiated or detected at the device 250. Batchtransfer can otherwise be initiated when radio use is triggered foranother reason (e.g., to receive data from a remote device such as hostserver 100 or 300). In one embodiment, an impending pruning event(pruning of an inbox), or any other low priority events, can be executedwhen a batch transfer occurs.

In general, the batching capability can be disabled or enabled at theevent/transaction level, application level, or session level, based onany one or combination of the following: user configuration, devicelimitations/settings, manufacturer specification, network providerparameters/limitations, platform-specific limitations/settings, deviceOS settings, etc. In one embodiment, batch transfer can be initiatedwhen an application/window/file is closed out, exited, or moved into thebackground; users can optionally be prompted before initiating a batchtransfer; users can also manually trigger batch transfers.

In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 locally adjusts radio use on thedevice 250 by caching data in the cache 285. When requests ortransactions from the device 250 can be satisfied by content stored inthe cache 285, the radio controller 266 need not activate the radio tosend the request to a remote entity (e.g., the host server 100, 300, asshown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 3A or a content provider/application serversuch as the server/provider 110 shown in the examples of FIG. 1A andFIG. 1B). As such, the local proxy 275 can use the local cache 285 andthe cache policy manager 245 to locally store data for satisfying datarequests to eliminate or reduce the use of the device radio forconservation of network resources and device battery consumption.

In leveraging the local cache, once the request/transaction manager 225intercepts a data request by an application on the device 250, the localrepository 285 can be queried to determine if there is any locallystored response, and also determine whether the response is valid. Whena valid response is available in the local cache 285, the response canbe provided to the application on the device 250 without the device 250needing to access the cellular network or wireless broadband network.

If a valid response is not available, the local proxy 275 can query aremote proxy (e.g., the server proxy 325 of FIG. 3A) to determinewhether a remotely stored response is valid. If so, the remotely storedresponse (e.g., which may be stored on the server cache 135 or optionalcaching server 199 shown in the example of FIG. 1B) can be provided tothe mobile device, possibly without the mobile device 250 needing toaccess the cellular network, thus relieving consumption of networkresources.

If a valid cache response is not available, or if cache responses areunavailable for the intercepted data request, the local proxy 275, forexample, the caching policy manager 245, can send the data request to aremote proxy (e.g., server proxy 325 of FIG. 3A) which forwards the datarequest to a content source (e.g., application server/content provider110 of FIG. 1A) and a response from the content source can be providedthrough the remote proxy, as will be further described in thedescription associated with the example host server 300 of FIG. 3A. Thecache policy manager 245 can manage or process requests that use avariety of protocols, including but not limited to HTTP, HTTPS, IMAP,POP, SMTP, XMPP, and/or ActiveSync. The caching policy manager 245 canlocally store responses for data requests in the local database 285 ascache entries, for subsequent use in satisfying same or similar datarequests.

The caching policy manager 245 can request that the remote proxy monitorresponses for the data request and the remote proxy can notify thedevice 250 when an unexpected response to the data request is detected.In such an event, the cache policy manager 245 can erase or replace thelocally stored response(s) on the device 250 when notified of theunexpected response (e.g., new data, changed data, additional data,etc.) to the data request. In one embodiment, the caching policy manager245 is able to detect or identify the protocol used for a specificrequest, including but not limited to HTTP, HTTPS, IMAP, POP, SMTP,XMPP, and/or ActiveSync. In one embodiment, application specifichandlers (e.g., via the application protocol module 246 of the cachingpolicy manager 245) on the local proxy 275 allows for optimization ofany protocol that can be port mapped to a handler in the distributedproxy (e.g., port mapped on the proxy server 325 in the example of FIG.3A).

In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 notifies the remote proxy suchthat the remote proxy can monitor responses received for the datarequest from the content source for changed results prior to returningthe result to the device 250, for example, when the data request to thecontent source has yielded same results to be returned to the mobiledevice. In general, the local proxy 275 can simulate application serverresponses for applications on the device 250, using locally cachedcontent. This can prevent utilization of the cellular network fortransactions where new/changed data is not available, thus freeing upnetwork resources and preventing network congestion.

In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 includes an application behaviordetector 236 to track, detect, observe, monitor, applications (e.g.,proxy-aware and/or unaware applications 210 and 220) accessed orinstalled on the device 250. Application behaviors, or patterns indetected behaviors (e.g., via the pattern detector 237) of one or moreapplications accessed on the device 250 can be used by the local proxy275 to optimize traffic in a wireless network needed to satisfy the dataneeds of these applications.

For example, based on detected behavior of multiple applications, thetraffic shaping engine 255 can align content requests made by at leastsome of the applications over the network (wireless network) (e.g., viathe alignment module 256). The alignment module 256 can delay orexpedite some earlier received requests to achieve alignment. Whenrequests are aligned, the traffic shaping engine 255 can utilize theconnection manager to poll over the network to satisfy application datarequests. Content requests for multiple applications can be alignedbased on behavior patterns or rules/settings including, for example,content types requested by the multiple applications (audio, video,text, etc.), device (e.g., mobile or wireless device) parameters, and/ornetwork parameters/traffic conditions, network service providerconstraints/specifications, etc.

In one embodiment, the pattern detector 237 can detect recurrences inapplication requests made by the multiple applications, for example, bytracking patterns in application behavior. A tracked pattern caninclude, detecting that certain applications, as a background process,poll an application server regularly, at certain times of day, oncertain days of the week, periodically in a predictable fashion, with acertain frequency, with a certain frequency in response to a certaintype of event, in response to a certain type user query, frequency thatrequested content is the same, frequency with which a same request ismade, interval between requests, applications making a request, or anycombination of the above, for example.

Such recurrences can be used by traffic shaping engine 255 to offloadpolling of content from a content source (e.g., from an applicationserver/content provider 110 of FIG. 1A) that would result from theapplication requests that would be performed at the mobile device orwireless device 250 to be performed instead, by a proxy server (e.g.,proxy server 125 of FIG. 1B or proxy server 325 of FIG. 3A) remote fromthe device 250. Traffic shaping engine 255 can decide to offload thepolling when the recurrences match a rule. For example, there aremultiple occurrences or requests for the same resource that have exactlythe same content, or returned value, or based on detection of repeatabletime periods between requests and responses such as a resource that isrequested at specific times during the day. The offloading of thepolling can decrease the amount of bandwidth consumption needed by themobile device 250 to establish a wireless (cellular or other wirelessbroadband) connection with the content source for repetitive contentpolls.

As a result of the offloading of the polling, locally cached contentstored in the local cache 285 can be provided to satisfy data requestsat the device 250, when content change is not detected in the polling ofthe content sources. As such, when data has not changed, applicationdata needs can be satisfied without needing to enable radio use oroccupying cellular bandwidth in a wireless network. When data haschanged and/or new data has been received, the remote entity to whichpolling is offloaded, can notify the device 250. The remote entity maybe the host server 300 as shown in the example of FIG. 3A.

In one embodiment, the local proxy 275 can mitigate the need/use ofperiodic keep-alive messages (heartbeat messages) to maintain TCP/IPconnections, which can consume significant amounts of power thus havingdetrimental impacts on mobile device battery life. The connectionmanager 265 in the local proxy (e.g., the heartbeat manager 267) candetect, identify, and intercept any or all heartbeat (keep-alive)messages being sent from applications.

The heartbeat manager 267 can prevent any or all of these heartbeatmessages from being sent over the cellular, or other network, andinstead rely on the server component of the distributed proxy system(e.g., shown in FIG. 1B) to generate the and send the heartbeat messagesto maintain a connection with the backend (e.g., applicationserver/provider 110 in the example of FIG. 1A).

The local proxy 275 generally represents any one or a portion of thefunctions described for the individual managers, modules, and/orengines. The local proxy 275 and device 250 can include additional orless components; more or less functions can be included, in whole or inpart, without deviating from the novel art of the disclosure.

FIG. 2B depicts a block diagram illustrating another example ofcomponents in the application behavior detector 236 and the cachingpolicy manager 245 in the local proxy 275 on the client-side of thedistributed proxy system shown in the example of FIG. 2A. Theillustrated application behavior detector 236 and the caching policymanager 245 can for example, enable the local proxy 275 to detect cachedefeat and perform caching of content addressed by identifiers intendedto defeat cache.

In one embodiment, the caching policy manager 245 includes a cachedefeat resolution engine 221, an identifier formalizer 211, a cacheappropriateness decision engine 246, a poll schedule generator 247, anapplication protocol module 248, a cache or connect selection engine 249having a cache query module 229, and/or a local cache invalidator 244.The cache defeat resolution engine 221 can further include a patternextraction module 222 and/or a cache defeat parameter detector 223. Thecache defeat parameter detector 223 can further include a randomparameter detector 224 and/or a time/date parameter detector 226. Oneembodiment further includes an application cache policy repository 243coupled to the decision engine 246.

In one embodiment, the application behavior detector 236 includes apattern detector 237, a poll interval detector 238, an applicationprofile generator 239, and/or a priority engine 241. The patterndetector 237 can further include a cache defeat parameter detector 223having also, for example a random parameter detector 233 and/or atime/date parameter detector 234. One embodiment further includes anapplication profile repository 242 coupled to the application profilegenerator 239. The application profile generator 239, and the priorityengine 241 have been described in association with the description ofthe application behavior detector 236 in the example of FIG. 2A.

The cache defeat resolution engine 221 can detect, identify, track,manage, and/or monitor content or content sources (e.g., servers orhosts) which employ identifiers and/or are addressed by identifiers(e.g., resource identifiers such as URLs and/or URIs) with one or moremechanisms that defeat cache or are intended to defeat cache. The cachedefeat resolution engine 221 can, for example, detect from a given datarequest generated by an application or client that the identifierdefeats or potentially defeats cache, where the data request otherwiseaddresses content or responses from a host or server (e.g., applicationserver/content host 110 or 310) that is cacheable.

In one embodiment, the cache defeat resolution engine 242 detects oridentifies cache defeat mechanisms used by content sources (e.g.,application server/content host 110 or 310) using the identifier of adata request detected at the mobile device 250. The cache defeatresolution engine 221 can detect or identify a parameter in theidentifier which can indicate that cache defeat mechanism is used. Forexample, a format, syntax, or pattern of the parameter can be used toidentify cache defeat (e.g., a pattern, format, or syntax as determinedor extracted by the pattern extraction module 222).

The pattern extraction module 222 can parse an identifier into multipleparameters or components and perform a matching algorithm on eachparameter to identify any of which match one or more predeterminedformats (e.g., a date and/or time format, as illustrated in parameters702 shown in FIG. 7A). The results of the matching or the parsed outparameters from an identifier can be used (e.g., by the cache defeatparameter detector 221) to identify cache defeating parameters which caninclude one or more changing parameters, for example.

The cache defeat parameter detector 221, in one embodiment, can detectrandom parameters (e.g., by the random parameter detector 224) and/ortime and/or date parameters which are typically used for cache defeat.The cache defeat parameter detector 221 can detect random parameters(e.g., as illustrated in parameters 752 shown in FIG. 7B) and/ortime/dates using commonly employed formats for these parameters andperforming pattern matching algorithms and tests.

In addition to detecting patterns, formats, and/or syntaxes, the cachedefeat parameter detector 221 further determines or confirms whether agiven parameter is defeating cache and whether the addressed content canbe cached by the distributed caching system. The cache defeat parameterdetector 221 can detect this by analyzing responses received for theidentifiers utilized by a given data request. In general, a changingparameter in the identifier is identified to indicate cache defeat whenresponses corresponding to multiple data requests are the same even whenthe multiple data requests uses identifiers with the changing parameterbeing different for each of the multiple data requests. For example, therequest/response pairs shown in the examples of FIG. 7A and FIG. 7Billustrate that the responses (704 in FIGS. 7A and 754 in FIG. 7B)received are the same, even though the resource identifier includes aparameter (702 in FIGS. 7A and 752 in FIG. 7B) that changes with eachrequest.

For example, at least two same responses may be required to identify thechanging parameter as indicating cache defeat. In some instances, atleast three same responses may be required. The requirement for thenumber of same responses needed to determine that a given parameter witha varying value between requests is cache defeating may be applicationspecific, context dependent, and/or user dependent/user specified, or acombination of the above. Such a requirement may also be static ordynamically adjusted by the distributed cache system to meet certainperformance thresholds and/or either explicit/implicit feedbackregarding user experience (e.g., whether the user or application isreceiving relevant/fresh content responsive to requests). More of thesame responses may be required to confirm cache defeat, or for thesystem to treat a given parameter as intended for cache defeat if anapplication begins to malfunction due to response caching and/or if theuser expresses dissatisfaction (explicit user feedback) or the systemdetects user frustration (implicit user cues).

The cache appropriateness decision engine 246 can detect, assess, ordetermine, whether content from a content source (e.g., applicationserver/content provider 110 in the example of FIG. 1B) with which amobile device 250 interacts, has content that may be suitable forcaching. In some instances, content from a given applicationserver/content provider (e.g., the server/provider 110 of FIG. 1B) isdetermined to be suitable for caching based on a set of criteria, forexample, criteria specifying time criticality of the content that isbeing requested from the content source. In one embodiment, the localproxy (e.g., the local proxy 175 or 275 of FIG. 1B and FIG. 2A) appliesa selection criteria to store the content from the host server which isrequested by an application as cached elements in a local cache on themobile device to satisfy subsequent requests made by the application.

The selection criteria can also include, by way of example, but notlimitation, state of the mobile device indicating whether the mobiledevice is active or inactive, network conditions, and/or radio coveragestatistics. The cache appropriateness decision engine 246 can any one orany combination of the criteria, and in any order, in identifyingsources for which caching may be suitable.

Once application servers/content providers having identified or detectedcontent that is potentially suitable for local caching on the mobiledevice 250, the cache policy manager 245 can proceed to cache theassociated content received from the identified sources by storingcontent received from the content source as cache elements in a localcache (e.g., local cache 185 or 285 shown in the examples of FIG. 1B andFIG. 2A, respectively) on the mobile device 250. The content source canalso be identified to a proxy server (e.g., proxy server 125 or 325shown in the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A, respectively) remote fromand in wireless communication with the mobile device 250 such that theproxy server can monitor the content source (e.g., applicationserver/content provider 110) for new or changed data. Similarly, thelocal proxy (e.g., the local proxy 175 or 275 of FIG. 1B and FIG. 2A,respectively) can identify to the proxy server that content receivedfrom a specific application server/content provider is being stored ascached elements in the local cache.

In one embodiment, cache elements are stored in the local cache 285 asbeing associated with a normalized version of an identifier, forexample, for an identifier employing one or more parameters intended todefeat cache. The identifier can be normalized by the identifiernormalize module 211 and the normalization process can include, by wayof example, one or more of, converting the URI scheme and host tolower-case, capitalizing letters in percent-encoded escape sequences,removing a default port, and removing duplicate slashes.

In one embodiment, the identifier is normalized by removing theparameter for cache defeat and/or replacing the parameter with a staticvalue which can be used to address or be associated with the cachedresponse received responsive to a request utilizing the identifier bythe normalizer 211 or the cache defeat parameter handler 212. Forexample, the cached elements stored in the local cache 285 (shown inFIG. 2A) can be identified using the normalized version of theidentifier or a hash value of the normalized version of the identifier.The hash value of an identifier or of the normalized identifier may begenerated by the hash engine 213.

Once content has been locally cached, the cache policy manager 245 can,upon receiving future polling requests to contact the content server,retrieve the cached elements from the local cache to respond to thepolling request made at the mobile device 250 such that a radio of themobile device is not activated to service the polling request. Suchservicing and fulfilling application (e.g., mobile application) requestslocally via a local cache entries allow for more efficient resource andmobile network traffic utilization and management since networkbandwidth and other resources need not be used to request/receive pollresponses which may have not changed from a response that has alreadybeen received at the mobile device 250.

One embodiment of the cache policy manager 245 includes a poll schedulegenerator 247 which can generate a polling schedule for one or moreapplications on the mobile device 250. The polling schedule can specifya polling interval that can be employed by the proxy server (e.g., proxyserver 125 or 325 shown in the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A) inmonitoring the content source for one or more applications. The pollingschedule can be determined, for example, based on the interval betweenthe polling requests directed to the content source from the mobiledevice. In one embodiment, the poll interval detector 238 of theapplication behavior detector can monitor polling requests directed to acontent source from the mobile device 250 in order to determine aninterval between the polling requests made from any or all mobileapplication.

In one embodiment, the cache policy manager 245 sends the pollingschedule is sent to the proxy server (e.g., proxy server 125 or 325shown in the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A) and can be used by theproxy server in monitoring the content source, for example, for changedor new content. The local cache invalidator 244 of the caching policymanager 245 can invalidate cache elements in the local cache (e.g.,cache 185 or 285) when new or changed data is detected from theapplication server/content source for a given request. The new orchanged data can be, for example, detected by the proxy server. When acache entry for a given request/poll has been invalidated and/or removed(e.g., deleted from cache) after invalidation, the use of the radio onthe mobile device 250 can be enabled (e.g., by the local proxy or thecache policy manager 245) to satisfy the subsequent polling requests, asfurther described with reference to the interaction diagram of FIG. 4B.

In one embodiment, the proxy server (e.g., proxy server 125 or 325 shownin the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A) uses a modified version of aresource identifier used in a data request to monitor a given contentsource (the application server/content host 110 of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1Bto which the data request is addressed) for new or changed data. Forexample, in the instance where the content source or identifier isdetected to employ cache defeat mechanisms, a modified (e.g.,normalized) identifier can be used instead to poll the content source.The modified or normalized version of the identifier can be communicatedto the proxy server by the caching policy manager 245, or morespecifically the cache defeat parameter handler 212 of the identifiernormalizer 211, for example.

The modified identifier used by the proxy server to poll the contentsource on behalf of the mobile device/application (e.g., mobileapplication) may or may not be the same as the normalized identifier.For example, the normalized identifier may be the original identifierwith the changing cache defeating parameter removed whereas the modifiedidentifier uses a substitute parameter in place of the parameter that isused to defeat cache (e.g., the changing parameter replaced with astatic value or other predetermined value known to the local proxyand/or proxy server). The modified parameter can be determined by thelocal proxy 275 and communicated to the proxy server. The modifiedparameter may also be generated by the proxy server (e.g., by theidentifier modifier module 353 shown in the example of FIG. 3B).

One embodiment of the cache policy manager 245 includes a cache orconnect selection engine 249 which can decide whether to use a locallycached entry to satisfy a poll/content request generated at the mobiledevice 250 by an application or widget. For example, the local proxy 275or the cache policy manger 245 can intercept a polling request, made byan application (e.g., mobile application) on the mobile device, tocontact the application server/content provider. The selection engine249 can determine whether the content received for the interceptedrequest has been locally stored as cache elements for deciding whetherthe a radio of the mobile device needs to be activated to satisfy therequest made by the mobile application. In one embodiment, the localproxy 275, in response to determining that relevant cached contentexists and is still valid, can retrieve the cached elements from thelocal cache to provide a response to the application (e.g., mobileapplication) which made the polling request such that a radio of themobile device is not activated to provide the response to the mobileapplication.

In one embodiment, the cached elements stored in the local cache 285(shown in FIG. 2A) can be identified using a normalized version of theidentifier or a hash value of the normalized version of the identifier,for example, using the cache query module 229. Cached elements can bestored with normalized identifiers which have cache defeating parametersremoved or otherwise replaced such that the relevant cached elements canbe identified and retrieved in the future to satisfy other requestsemploying the same type of cache defeat. For example, when an identifierutilized in a subsequent request is determined to be utilizing the samecache defeating parameter, the normalized version of this identifier canbe generated, and used to identify a cached response stored in themobile device cache to satisfy the data request. The hash value of anidentifier or of the normalized identifier may be generated by the hashengine 213 of the identifier normalizer 211.

FIG. 3A depicts a block diagram illustrating an example of server-sidecomponents (host server 300 and proxy server 325) in a distributed proxyand cache system that manages traffic in a wireless network for resourceconservation, content caching, and/or traffic management.

The host server 300 generally includes, for example, a network interface308 and/or one or more repositories 312, 314, 316. Note that server 300may be any portable/mobile or non-portable device, server, cluster ofcomputers and/or other types of processing units (e.g., any number of amachine shown in the example of FIG. 11) able to receive, transmitsignals to satisfy data requests over a network including any wired orwireless networks (e.g., WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, etc.).

The network interface 308 can include networking module(s) or devices(s)that enable the server 300 to mediate data in a network with an entitythat is external to the host server 300, through any known and/orconvenient communications protocol supported by the host and theexternal entity. Specifically, the network interface 308 allows theserver 308 to communicate with multiple devices including mobile phonedevices 350, and/or one or more application servers/content providers310.

The host server 300 can store information about connections (e.g.,network characteristics, conditions, types of connections, etc.) withdevices in the connection metadata repository 312. Additionally, anyinformation about third party application or content providers can alsobe stored in 312. The host server 300 can store information aboutdevices (e.g., hardware capability, properties, device settings, devicelanguage, network capability, manufacturer, device model, OS, OSversion, etc.) in the device information repository 314. Additionally,the host server 300 can store information about network providers andthe various network service areas in the network service providerrepository 316.

The communication enabled by network interface 308 allows forsimultaneous connections (e.g., including cellular connections) withdevices 350 and/or connections (e.g., including wired/wireless, HTTP,Internet connections, LAN, WiFi, etc.) with content servers/providers310, to manage the traffic between devices 350 and content providers310, for optimizing network resource utilization and/or to conservepower (battery) consumption on the serviced devices 350. The host server300 can communicate with mobile devices 350 serviced by differentnetwork service providers and/or in the same/different network serviceareas. The host server 300 can operate and is compatible with devices350 with varying types or levels of mobile capabilities, including byway of example but not limitation, 1G, 2G, 2G transitional (2.5G,2.75G), 3G (IMT-2000), 3G transitional (3.5G, 3.75G, 3.9G), 4G(IMT-advanced), etc.

In general, the network interface 308 can include one or more of anetwork adaptor card, a wireless network interface card (e.g., SMSinterface, WiFi interface, interfaces for various generations of mobilecommunication standards including but not limited to 1G, 2G, 3G, 3.5G,4G type networks such as, LTE, WiMAX, etc.,), Bluetooth, WiFi, or anyother network whether or not connected via a router, an access point, awireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocol converter, agateway, a bridge, a bridge router, a hub, a digital media receiver,and/or a repeater.

The host server 300 can further include, server-side components of thedistributed proxy and cache system which can include, a proxy server 325and a server cache 335. In one embodiment, the proxy server 325 caninclude an HTTP access engine 345, a caching policy manager 355, a proxycontroller 365, a traffic shaping engine 375, a new data detector 347and/or a connection manager 395.

The HTTP access engine 345 may further include a heartbeat manager 398the proxy controller 365 may further include a data invalidator module358 the traffic shaping engine 375 may further include a controlprotocol 376 and a batching module 377. Additional or lesscomponents/modules/engines can be included in the proxy server 325 andeach illustrated component.

As used herein, a “module,” “a manager,” a “handler,” a “detector,” an“interface,” a “controller,” a “normalizer,” a “generator,” an“invalidator,” or an “engine” includes a general purpose, dedicated orshared processor and, typically, firmware or software modules that areexecuted by the processor. Depending upon implementation-specific orother considerations, the module, manager, handler, detector, interface,controller, normalizer, generator, invalidator, or engine can becentralized or its functionality distributed. The module, manager,handler, detector, interface, controller, normalizer, generator,invalidator, or engine can include general or special purpose hardware,firmware, or software embodied in a computer-readable (storage) mediumfor execution by the processor. As used herein, a computer-readablemedium or computer-readable storage medium is intended to include allmediums that are statutory (e.g., in the United States, under 35 U.S.C.101), and to specifically exclude all mediums that are non-statutory innature to the extent that the exclusion is necessary for a claim thatincludes the computer-readable (storage) medium to be valid. Knownstatutory computer-readable mediums include hardware (e.g., registers,random access memory (RAM), non-volatile (NV) storage, to name a few),but may or may not be limited to hardware.

In the example of a device (e.g., mobile device 350) making anapplication or content request to an application server or contentprovider 310, the request may be intercepted and routed to the proxyserver 325, which is coupled to the device 350 and the applicationserver/content provider 310. Specifically, the proxy server is able tocommunicate with the local proxy (e.g., proxy 175 and 275 of theexamples of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively) of the mobile device 350,the local proxy forwards the data request to the proxy server 325 for,in some instances, further processing, and if needed, for transmissionto the application server/content server 310 for a response to the datarequest.

In such a configuration, the host 300, or the proxy server 325 in thehost server 300 can utilize intelligent information provided by thelocal proxy in adjusting its communication with the device in such amanner that optimizes use of network and device resources. For example,the proxy server 325 can identify characteristics of user activity onthe device 350 to modify its communication frequency. Thecharacteristics of user activity can be determined by, for example, theactivity/behavior awareness module 366 in the proxy controller 365, viainformation collected by the local proxy on the device 350.

In one embodiment, communication frequency can be controlled by theconnection manager 395 of the proxy server 325, for example, to adjustpush frequency of content or updates to the device 350. For instance,push frequency can be decreased by the connection manager 395 whencharacteristics of the user activity indicate that the user is inactive.In one embodiment, when the characteristics of the user activityindicate that the user is subsequently active after a period ofinactivity, the connection manager 395 can adjust the communicationfrequency with the device 350 to send data that was buffered as a resultof decreased communication frequency, to the device 350.

In addition, the proxy server 325 includes priority awareness of variousrequests, transactions, sessions, applications, and/or specific events.Such awareness can be determined by the local proxy on the device 350and provided to the proxy server 325. The priority awareness module 367of the proxy server 325 can generally assess the priority (e.g.,including time-criticality, time-sensitivity, etc.) of various events orapplications; additionally, the priority awareness module 367 can trackpriorities determined by local proxies of devices 350.

In one embodiment, through priority awareness, the connection manager395 can further modify communication frequency (e.g., use or radio ascontrolled by the radio controller 396) of the server 300 with thedevices 350. For example, the server 300 can notify the device 350, thusrequesting use of the radio if it is not already in use, when data orupdates of an importance/priority level which meets a criteria becomesavailable to be sent.

In one embodiment, the proxy server 325 can detect multiple occurrencesof events (e.g., transactions, content, data received fromserver/provider 310) and allow the events to accumulate for batchtransfer to device 350. Batch transfer can be cumulated and transfer ofevents can be delayed based on priority awareness and/or useractivity/application behavior awareness, as tracked by modules 366and/or 367. For example, batch transfer of multiple events (of a lowerpriority) to the device 350 can be initiated by the batching module 377when an event of a higher priority (meeting a threshold or criteria) isdetected at the server 300. In addition, batch transfer from the server300 can be triggered when the server receives data from the device 350,indicating that the device radio is already in use and is thus on. Inone embodiment, the proxy server 325 can order the each messages/packetsin a batch for transmission based on event/transaction priority, suchthat higher priority content can be sent first, in case connection islost or the battery dies, etc.

In one embodiment, the server 300 caches data (e.g., as managed by thecaching policy manager 355) such that communication frequency over anetwork (e.g., cellular network) with the device 350 can be modified(e.g., decreased). The data can be cached, for example in the servercache 335, for subsequent retrieval or batch sending to the device 350to potentially decrease the need to turn on the device 350 radio. Theserver cache 335 can be partially or wholly internal to the host server300, although in the example of FIG. 3A, it is shown as being externalto the host 300. In some instances, the server cache 335 may be the sameas and/or integrated in part or in whole with another cache managed byanother entity (e.g., the optional caching proxy server 199 shown in theexample of FIG. 1B), such as being managed by an applicationserver/content provider 110, a network service provider, or anotherthird party.

In one embodiment, content caching is performed locally on the device350 with the assistance of host server 300. For example, proxy server325 in the host server 300 can query the application server/provider 310with requests and monitor changes in responses. When changed or newresponses are detected (e.g., by the new data detector 347), the proxyserver 325 can notify the mobile device 350, such that the local proxyon the device 350 can make the decision to invalidate (e.g., indicatedas out-dated) the relevant cache entries stored as any responses in itslocal cache. Alternatively, the data invalidator module 368 canautomatically instruct the local proxy of the device 350 to invalidatecertain cached data, based on received responses from the applicationserver/provider 310. The cached data is marked as invalid, and can getreplaced or deleted when new content is received from the content server310.

Note that data change can be detected by the detector 347 in one or moreways. For example, the server/provider 310 can notify the host server300 upon a change. The change can also be detected at the host server300 in response to a direct poll of the source server/provider 310. Insome instances, the proxy server 325 can in addition, pre-load the localcache on the device 350 with the new/updated data. This can be performedwhen the host server 300 detects that the radio on the mobile device isalready in use, or when the server 300 has additional content/data to besent to the device 350.

One or more the above mechanisms can be implemented simultaneously oradjusted/configured based on application (e.g., different policies fordifferent servers/providers 310). In some instances, the sourceprovider/server 310 may notify the host 300 for certain types of events(e.g., events meeting a priority threshold level). In addition, theprovider/server 310 may be configured to notify the host 300 at specifictime intervals, regardless of event priority.

In one embodiment, the proxy server 325 of the host 300 canmonitor/track responses received for the data request from the contentsource for changed results prior to returning the result to the mobiledevice, such monitoring may be suitable when data request to the contentsource has yielded same results to be returned to the mobile device,thus preventing network/power consumption from being used when nonew/changes are made to a particular requested. The local proxy of thedevice 350 can instruct the proxy server 325 to perform such monitoringor the proxy server 325 can automatically initiate such a process uponreceiving a certain number of the same responses (e.g., or a number ofthe same responses in a period of time) for a particular request.

In one embodiment, the server 300, for example, through theactivity/behavior awareness module 366, is able to identify or detectuser activity, at a device that is separate from the mobile device 350.For example, the module 366 may detect that a user's message inbox(e.g., email or types of inbox) is being accessed. This can indicatethat the user is interacting with his/her application using a deviceother than the mobile device 350 and may not need frequent updates, ifat all.

The server 300, in this instance, can thus decrease the frequency withwhich new or updated content is sent to the mobile device 350, oreliminate all communication for as long as the user is detected to beusing another device for access. Such frequency decrease may beapplication specific (e.g., for the application with which the user isinteracting with on another device), or it may be a general frequencydecrease (e.g., since the user is detected to be interacting with oneserver or one application via another device, he/she could also use itto access other services) to the mobile device 350.

In one embodiment, the host server 300 is able to poll content sources310 on behalf of devices 350 to conserve power or battery consumption ondevices 350. For example, certain applications on the mobile device 350can poll its respective server 310 in a predictable recurring fashion.Such recurrence or other types of application behaviors can be trackedby the activity/behavior module 366 in the proxy controller 365. Thehost server 300 can thus poll content sources 310 for applications onthe mobile device 350, that would otherwise be performed by the device350 through a wireless (e.g., including cellular connectivity). The hostserver can poll the sources 310 for new or changed data by way of theHTTP access engine 345 to establish HTTP connection or by way of radiocontroller 396 to connect to the source 310 over the cellular network.When new or changed data is detected, the new data detector can notifythe device 350 that such data is available and/or provide thenew/changed data to the device 350.

In one embodiment, the connection manager 395 determines that the mobiledevice 350 is unavailable (e.g., the radio is turned off) and utilizesSMS to transmit content to the device 350, for instance via the SMSCshown in the example of FIG. 1B. SMS is used to transmit invalidationmessages, batches of invalidation messages, or even content in the casethe content is small enough to fit into just a few (usually one or two)SMS messages. This avoids the need to access the radio channel to sendoverhead information. The host server 300 can use SMS for certaintransactions or responses having a priority level above a threshold orotherwise meeting a criteria. The server 300 can also utilize SMS as anout-of-band trigger to maintain or wake-up an IP connection as analternative to maintaining an always-on IP connection.

In one embodiment, the connection manager 395 in the proxy server 325(e.g., the heartbeat manager 398) can generate and/or transmit heartbeatmessages on behalf of connected devices 350, to maintain a backendconnection with a provider 310 for applications running on devices 350.

For example, in the distributed proxy system, local cache on the device350 can prevent any or all heartbeat messages needed to maintain TCP/IPconnections required for applications, from being sent over thecellular, or other network, and instead rely on the proxy server 325 onthe host server 300 to generate and/or send the heartbeat messages tomaintain a connection with the backend (e.g., applicationserver/provider 110 in the example of FIG. 1A). The proxy server cangenerate the keep-alive (heartbeat) messages independent of theoperations of the local proxy on the mobile device.

The repositories 312, 314, and/or 316 can additionally store software,descriptive data, images, system information, drivers, and/or any otherdata item utilized by other components of the host server 300 and/or anyother servers for operation. The repositories may be managed by adatabase management system (DBMS), for example but not limited to,Oracle, DB2, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL,FileMaker, etc.

The repositories can be implemented via object-oriented technologyand/or via text files, and can be managed by a distributed databasemanagement system, an object-oriented database management system(OODBMS) (e.g., ConceptBase, FastDB Main Memory Database ManagementSystem, JDOInstruments, ObjectDB, etc.), an object-relational databasemanagement system (ORDBMS) (e.g., Informix, OpenLink Virtuoso, VMDS,etc.), a file system, and/or any other convenient or known databasemanagement package.

FIG. 3B depicts a block diagram illustrating another example ofcomponents in the caching policy manager 355 in the proxy server 375 onthe server-side of the distributed proxy system shown in the example ofFIG. 3A which is capable of managing and detecting cache defeatingmechanisms and monitoring content sources.

The caching policy manager 355, in one embodiment, can further include acache defeating source manager 352, a content source monitoring engine357 having a poll schedule manager 358, and/or an updated or new contentdetector 359. The cache defeating source manager 352 can further includean identifier modifier module 353 and/or an identifier pattern trackingmodule 354.

In one embodiment, the proxy server (e.g., the proxy server 125 or 325of the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A) can monitor a content source fornew or changed data, for example, via the monitoring engine 357. Thecontent source (e.g., application server/content provider 110 of FIG. 1Bor 310 of FIG. 3A) can be one that has been identified to the proxyserver (e.g., by the local proxy) as having content that is beinglocally cached on a mobile device (e.g., mobile device 150 or 250). Thecontent source 310 can be monitored, for example, by the monitoringengine 357 at a frequency that is based on polling frequency of thecontent source at the mobile device. The poll schedule can be, forexample, generated by the local proxy and sent to the proxy server 325.The poll frequency can be tracked and/or managed by the poll schedulemanager 358.

In one embodiment, the proxy server 325 uses a normalized identifier ormodified identifier in polling the content source 310 to detect new orchanged data (responses). The normalized identifier or modifiedidentifier can also be used by the proxy server 325 in storing responseson the server cache 335. In general, the normalized or modifiedidentifiers can be used when cache defeat mechanisms are employed forcacheable content. Cache defeat mechanisms can be in the form of achanging parameter in an identifier such as a URI or URL, and caninclude a changing time/data parameter, a randomly varying parameter, orother types parameters.

The normalized identifier or modified identifier removes or otherwisereplaces the changing parameter for association with subsequent requestsand identification of associated responses, and can also be used to pollthe content source. In one embodiment, the modified identifier isgenerated by the cache defeating source manager 352 (e.g., theidentifier modifier module 353) of the caching policy manager 355 on theproxy server 325 (server-side component of the distributed proxysystem). The modified identifier can utilize a substitute parameter(which is generally static over a period of time) in place of thechanging parameter that is used to defeat cache.

The cache defeating source manager 352 optionally includes theidentifier pattern tracking module 354 to track, store, and monitor thevarious modifications of an identifier or identifiers that addresscontent for one or more content sources (e.g., applicationserver/content host 110 or 310) to continuously verify that the modifiedidentifiers and/or normalized identifiers used by the proxy server 325to poll the content sources work as predicted or intended (e.g., receivethe same responses or responses that are otherwise still relevantcompared to the original, unmodified identifier).

In the event that the pattern tracking module 354 detects a modificationor normalization of an identifier that causes erratic or unpredictablebehavior (e.g., unexpected responses to be sent) on the content source,the tracking module 354 can log the modification and instruct the cachedefeating source manager 342 to generate anothermodification/normalization, or notify the local proxy (e.g., local proxy275) to generate another modification/normalization, for use in pollingthe content source. In the alternative or in parallel, the requests fromthe given mobile application/client on the mobile device (e.g., mobiledevice 250) can temporarily be sent across the network to the contentsource for direct responses to be provided to the mobile device and/oruntil a modification of an identifier which works can be generated.

In one embodiment, responses are stored as server cache elements in theserver cache when new or changed data is detected for a response that isalready stored on a local cache (e.g., cache 285) of the mobile device(e.g., mobile device 250). Therefore, the mobile device or local proxy275 can connect to the proxy server 325 to retrieve the new or changeddata for a response to a request which was previously cached locally inthe local cache 285 (now invalid, out-dated, or otherwise determined tobe irrelevant).

The proxy server 325 can detect new or changed data at a monitoredcontent source 310 and transmits a message to the mobile devicenotifying it of such a change such that the mobile device (or the localproxy on the mobile device) can take appropriate action (e.g., toinvalidate the cache elements in the local cache. In some instances, theproxy server (e.g., the caching policy manager 355) upon detecting newor changed data, can also store the new or changed data in its cache(e.g., the server cache 135 or 335 of the examples of FIG. 1B and FIG.3A, respectively). The updated/new data stored in the server cache canin some instances, be used to satisfy content requests at the mobiledevice, for example, after the proxy server has notified the mobiledevice of the new/changed content and that the locally cached contenthas been invalidated.

FIG. 4A depicts a diagram showing how data requests from a mobile device450 to an application server/content provider 495 in a wireless networkcan be coordinated by a distributed proxy system 460 in a manner suchthat network and battery resources are conserved through using contentcaching and monitoring performed by the distributed proxy system 460.

In satisfying application or client requests on a mobile device 450without the distributed proxy system 460, the mobile device 450, or thesoftware widget executing on the device 450 performs a data request 402(e.g., an HTTP GET, POST, or other request) directly to the applicationserver 495 and receives a response 404 directly from the server/provider495. If the data has been updated, the widget on the mobile device 450can refreshes itself to reflect the update and waits for small period oftime and initiates another data request to the server/provider 495.

In one embodiment, the requesting client or software widget 455 on thedevice 450 can utilize the distributed proxy system 460 in handling thedata request made to server/provider 495. In general, the distributedproxy system 460 can include a local proxy 465 (which is typicallyconsidered a client-side component of the system 460 and can reside onthe mobile device 450), a caching proxy 475 (considered a server-sidecomponent 470 of the system 460 and can reside on the host server 485 orbe wholly or partially external to the host server 485), a host server485. The local proxy 465 can be connected to the caching proxy 475 andhost server 485 via any network or combination of networks.

When the distributed proxy system 460 is used for data/applicationrequests, the widget 455 can perform the data request 406 via the localproxy 465. The local proxy 465, can intercept the requests made bydevice applications, and can identify the connection type of the request(e.g., an HTTP get request or other types of requests). The local proxy465 can then query the local cache for any previous information aboutthe request (e.g., to determine whether a locally stored response isavailable and/or still valid). If a locally stored response is notavailable or if there is an invalid response stored, the local proxy 465can update or store information about the request, the time it was made,and any additional data, in the local cache. The information can beupdated for use in potentially satisfying subsequent requests.

The local proxy 465 can then send the request to the host server 485 andthe host server 485 can perform the request 406 and returns the resultsin response 408. The local proxy 465 can store the result and inaddition, information about the result and returns the result to therequesting widget 455.

In one embodiment, if the same request has occurred multiple times(within a certain time period) and it has often yielded same results,the local proxy 465 can notify 410 the server 485 that the requestshould be monitored (e.g., steps 412 and 414) for result changes priorto returning a result to the local proxy 465 or requesting widget 455.

In one embodiment, if a request is marked for monitoring, the localproxy 465 can now store the results into the local cache. Now, when thedata request 416, for which a locally response is available, is made bythe widget 455 and intercepted at the local proxy 465, the local proxy465 can return the response 418 from the local cache without needing toestablish a connection communication over the wireless network.

In addition, the server proxy performs the requests marked formonitoring 420 to determine whether the response 422 for the givenrequest has changed. In general, the host server 485 can perform thismonitoring independently of the widget 455 or local proxy 465operations. Whenever an unexpected response 422 is received for arequest, the server 485 can notify the local proxy 465 that the responsehas changed (e.g., the invalidate notification in step 424) and that thelocally stored response on the client should be erased or replaced witha new response.

In this case, a subsequent data request 426 by the widget 455 from thedevice 450 results in the data being returned from host server 485(e.g., via the caching proxy 475) and in step 428, the request issatisfied from the caching proxy 475. Thus, through utilizing thedistributed proxy system 460 the wireless (cellular) network isintelligently used when the content/data for the widget or softwareapplication 455 on the mobile device 450 has actually changed. As such,the traffic needed to check for the changes to application data is notperformed over the wireless (cellular) network. This reduces the amountof generated network traffic and shortens the total time and the numberof times the radio module is powered up on the mobile device 450, thusreducing battery consumption, and in addition, frees up networkbandwidth.

FIG. 4B depicts an interaction diagram showing how application polls forcontent from an application server/content provider which employscache-defeating mechanisms in content identifiers (e.g., identifiersintended to defeat cache) in a wireless network can still be detectedand locally cached.

In one example, when the mobile application/widget 455 polls anapplication server/provider in step 432, the poll can locally beintercepted in step 434 on the mobile device by local proxy 465. In step434, the local proxy 465 on the mobile device may also determine (withsome level of certainty and heuristics) that a cache defeating mechanismis employed or may be employed by the server provider.

The local proxy 465 can detect that the cached content is available forthe polled content in the request and can thus retrieve a response fromthe local cache to satisfy the intercepted poll 436, without requiringuse of wireless network bandwidth or other wireless network resources.The mobile application/widget 455 can subsequently receive a response tothe poll from a cache entry in step 438 (e.g., a locally stored cacheentry on the mobile device).

In another example, the application widget 455 (e.g., mobile applicationwidget) polls the application server/provider 495 in step 440. The pollis intercepted in step 442 by the local proxy 465 which determines thata cache defeat mechanism is employed by the server/provider 495. Thelocal proxy 465 also detects that cached content is unavailable in thelocal cache for this request and decides to setup the polled contentsource for caching in step 444. The local proxy 465 can then extract apattern (e.g., a format or syntax) of an identifier of the request andtrack the polling frequency of the application to setup a pollingschedule of the host server 485 in step 446.

To satisfy the request, the poll request is forwarded to the contentsource 495 in step 448. The application server/provider 495 receives thepoll request from the application and provides a response to satisfy thecurrent request in step 450. In step 452, the mobile application/widget455 receives the response from the application server/provider 495 tosatisfy the request.

In conjunction, in order to setup content caching, the local proxy 465caches the response and stores a normalized version of the identifier(or a hash value of the normalized identifier) in association with thereceived response for future identification and retrieval in step 454.The local proxy sends the cache setup to the host server 485 in step456, the cache setup including, for example, the identifier and/or anormalized version of the identifier. In some instances, a modifiedidentifier, different from the normalized identifier is sent to the hostserver 485.

The host server 485 can use the cache setup which includes, for example,an identification of the application server/provider to be polled andoptionally a polling schedule in step 458. The host server 485 can nowpoll the application server/provider 495 to monitor responses to therequest in step 460, on behalf of the mobile device. The applicationserver 495 receives the poll from the host server 485 responds in step462. The host server 485 determines that the same response has beenreceived and polls the application server 495, for example, according tothe specified polling schedule and using the normalized or modifiedidentifier, in step 464. The application server/content provider 495receives the poll and responds accordingly in step 466.

This time, the host server 485 detects changed or new responses, andnotifies the local proxy 465 in step 468. The host server 485 canadditionally store the changed or new response in the server cache 435or caching proxy 475 in step 470. The local proxy 465 receivesnotification from the host server 485 that new or changed data is nowavailable and can invalidate the affected cache entries in step 472. Thenext time the mobile application/widget generates the same request forthe same server/content provider 495 in step 474, the local proxy 465determines that no valid cache entry is available and instead retrievesa response from the server cache in step 476, for example, through anHTTP connection. The host server 485 receives the request for the newresponse and sends the response back to the local proxy 465 in step 478.The request is thus satisfied from the server cache or caching proxy instep 480 without the need for the mobile device to utilize its radio orto consume mobile network bandwidth thus conserving network resources.

Alternatively, when the application (e.g., mobile application) 455generates the same request, the local proxy 465, in response todetermining that no valid cache entry is available in step 484, forwardsthe poll to the application server provider 495 in step 482 over themobile network. The application server/provider 495 receives the polland sends the response back to the mobile device in step 486 over themobile network. The request is thus satisfied from the server/providerusing the mobile network 486 in step 488.

FIG. 5 depicts a diagram showing one example process for implementing ahybrid IP and SMS power saving mode on a mobile device 550 using adistributed proxy and cache system (e.g., such as the distributed systemshown in the example of FIG. 1B).

In step 502, the local proxy (e.g., proxy 175 in the example of FIG. 1B)monitors the device for user activity. When the user is determined to beactive, server push is active. For example, always-on-push IP connectioncan be maintained and if available, SMS triggers can be immediately sentto the mobile device 550 as it becomes available.

In process 504, after the user has been detected to be inactive or idleover a period of time (e.g., the example is shown for a period ofinactivity of 20 min.), the local proxy can adjust the device to go intothe power saving mode. In the power saving mode, when the local proxyreceives a message or a correspondence from a remote proxy (e.g., theserver proxy 135 in the example of FIG. 1B) on the server-side of thedistributed proxy and cache system, the local proxy can respond with acall indicating that the device 550 is currently in power save mode(e.g., via a power save remote procedure call). In some instances, thelocal proxy can take the opportunity to notify multiple accounts orproviders (e.g., 510A, and 510B) of the current power save status (e.g.,timed to use the same radio power-on event).

In one embodiment, the response from the local proxy can include a time(e.g., the power save period) indicating to the remote proxy (e.g.,server proxy 135) and/or the application server/providers 510A/B whenthe device 550 is next able to receive changes or additional data. Adefault power savings period can be set by the local proxy.

In one embodiment, if new, changed, or different data or event isreceived before the end of any one power saving period, then the waitperiod communicated to the servers 510A/B can be the existing period,rather than an incremented time period. In response, the remote proxyserver, upon receipt of power save notification from the device 550, canstop sending changes (data or SMS's) for the period of time requested(the wait period). At the end of the wait period, any notificationsreceived can be acted upon and changes sent to the device 550, forexample, as a single batched event or as individual events. If nonotifications come in, then push can be resumed with the data or an SMSbeing sent to the device 550. The proxy server can time the poll or datacollect event to optimize batch sending content to the mobile device 550to increase the chance that the client will receive data at the nextradio power on event.

Note that the wait period can be updated in operation in real time toaccommodate operating conditions. For example, the local proxy canadjust the wait period on the fly to accommodate the different delaysthat occur in the system.

Detection of user activity in step 508 at the device 550 causes thepower save mode to be exited. When the device 550 exits power save mode,it can begin to receive any changes associated with any pendingnotifications. If a power saving period has expired, then no power savecancel call may be needed as the proxy server will already be intraditional push operation mode.

In one embodiment, power save mode is not applied when the device 550 isplugged into a charger. This setting can be reconfigured or adjusted bythe user or another party. In general, the power save mode can be turnedon and off, for example, by the user via a user interface on device 550.In general, timing of power events to receive data can be synchronizedwith any power save calls to optimize radio use.

FIG. 6 depicts another flow diagram 600 illustrating an example processfor distributed content caching between a mobile device and a proxyserver and the distributed management of content caching.

As shown in the distributed system interaction diagram in the example ofFIG. 4A, the disclosed technology is a distributed caching model withvarious aspects of caching tasks split between the client-side/mobiledevice side (e.g., mobile device 450 in the example of FIG. 4A) and theserver side (e.g., server side 470 including the host server 485 and/orthe optional caching proxy 475).

In general the device-side responsibilities can include, decidingwhether a response to a particular request can be and/or should becached. The device-side of the proxy can make this decision based oninformation (e.g., timing characteristics, detected pattern, detectedpattern with heuristics, indication of predictability or repeatability)collected from/during both request and response, and cache it (e.g.,storing it in a local cache on the mobile device). The device side canalso notify the server-side in the distributed cache system of the localcache event and notify it monitor the content source (e.g., applicationserver/content provider 110 of FIGS. 1A-B).

The device side can further instruct the server side of the distributedproxy to periodically validate the cache response (e.g., by way ofpolling, or sending polling requests to the content source). The deviceside can further decide whether a response to a particular cache requestshould be returned from the local cache (e.g., whether a cache hit isdetected). The decision can be made by the device side (e.g., the localproxy on the device) using information collected from/during requestand/or responses received from the content source.

In general, the server-side responsibilities can include, validatingcached responses for relevancy (e.g., determine whether a cachedresponse is still valid or relevant to its associated request). Theserver-side can send the mobile device an invalidation request to notifythe device side when a cached response is detected to be no longer validor no longer relevant (e.g., the server invalidates a given contentsource). The device side then can remove the response from the localcache.

The diagram of FIG. 6 illustrates caching logic processes performed foreach detected or intercepted request (e.g., HTTP request) detected at amobile device (e.g., client-side of the distributed proxy). In step 602,the client-side of the proxy (e.g., local proxy 275 shown in FIGS. 2A-Bor mobile device 450 of FIG. 4A) receives a request (from an application(e.g., mobile application) or mobile client). In step 604, URL isnormalized and in step the client-side checks to determine if therequest is cacheable, in step 606. If the request is determined to benot cacheable in step 612, the request is sent to the source(application server/content provider) in step 608 and the response isreceived 610 and delivered to the requesting application 622, similar toa request-response sequence without interception by the client sideproxy.

If the request is determined to be cacheable, in step 612, theclient-side looks up the cache to determine whether a cache entry existsfor the current request. If so, in step 624, the client-side candetermine whether the entry is valid and if so, the client side cancheck the request to see if includes a validator (e.g., a modifiedheader or an entity tag) in step 628. For example, the concept ofvalidation is eluded to in section 13.3 of RFC 2616 which describes inpossible types of headers. and forms a validating response 632 if so tobe delivered to the requesting application in step 622. If the requestdoes not include a validator as determined by step 628, a response isformed from the local cache in step 630 and delivered to the requestingapplication in step 622. This validation step can be used for contentthat would otherwise normally be considered un-cacheable.

If, instead, in step 624, the cache entry is found but determined to beno longer valid or invalid, the client side of the proxy, sends therequest to the content source (application server/content host) andreceives a response directly fro the source in step 618. Similarly, ifin step 612, a cache entry was not found during the look up, the requestis also sent in step 616. Once the response is received, the client sidechecks the response to determine if it is cacheable in step 626. If so,the response is cached in step 620. The client then sends another pollin step 614 and then delivers the response to the requesting applicationin step 622.

FIGS. 7A-B depicts example request-response pairs showing cacheableresponses 704 and 754 addressed by identifiers with changing parameters702 and 752.

The request/response pairs shown in the examples of FIG. 7A illustratetiming parameters 702 used for cache defeat, for example, since theresponses 704 received for each request is the same, even though thetiming parameters 702 change each time. The resource identifier and theparameter 702 can be identified as cache defeating upon the second timethe ‘response’ is detected to be the same, or the third time, or a latersubsequent time. The caching of the ‘response=x’ can similarly begin thesecond detected same response, the third detected same response, or alater subsequent detected same response.

Similarly, the request response pairs shown in the examples of FIG. 7Billustrate random parameters 752 that are used for cache defeat, sincethe responses 754 received for each request is the same, even though therandom parameters 752 in the identifiers are varying each time. Theresource identifier and the parameter 702 can be identified as cachedefeating upon the second time the ‘response’ is detected to be thesame, or the third time, or a later subsequent time. The caching of the‘response=x’ can similarly begin the second detected same response, thethird detected same response, or a later subsequent detected sameresponse.

Although two types of changing parameters are shown (timing/date 702 andrandom parameter 752) other types of changing parameters may be used forcache defeat and can be similarly detected by the system.

FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for usinglocal cache to respond to a polling request even when a cache defeatingmechanism is employed in the identifier used to address content by thepolling request.

In process 802, a decision is made to begin to cache content receivedfrom the host server. The decision can be made through the exampleprocesses shown in the example of FIG. 9 which depicts a flow chartillustrating example processes for determining whether to cache contentfrom a particular host server (content source), by determining thefrequency of polling requests made to the host server in step 902 and/orby determining the frequency of content change at the host server, instep 904. The two steps can be used in conjunction or independently ofone another in deciding whether content from the host server is to becached, in step 906.

In process 804, content from a content server is stored as cachedelements in a local cache on the mobile device. In process 806, apolling request to contact the content server is received, for example,by the distributed caching system. In process 808, it is determined thata radio of the mobile device is not activated and in process 810, thecached elements are retrieved from the local cache to respond to thepolling request without activating the radio, even when a cachedefeating mechanism is employed.

The cache defeat mechanism, or identifiers used intended to defeat cacheaddressed by such identifiers, can be employed by the content server(the server to which the polling requests using the identifiers aredirected). In general, the cache defeating mechanism or identifiersintended for cache defeat can be detected from a syntax or pattern of aresource identifier included in the polling request identifying thecontent server.

For example, the resource identifier can include a URI or URL and theURI/URL is normalized by performing one or more of the following steps:converting the URI scheme and host to lower-case, capitalizing lettersin percent-encoded escape sequences, removing a default port, orremoving duplicate slashes. In addition, the identifier normalizationprocess, for an identifier employing cache defeat, removes any portionof the identifier which is intended to defeat cache (e.g., typically achanging parameter between requests detectable by the format, pattern,or syntax of the parameter).

Note that the detection of cache defeat mechanisms or identifiersintended to defeat cache need not be determined with 100% certainty.Identifiers with certain characteristics (e.g., having parametersmatching specific formats) can in addition to be determined to beemploying cache defeat, may simply be treated as cache defeating orintended for defeating cache, for the purposes of caching content over awireless network, and managed in a distributed fashion, for example.

FIG. 10 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process for usingdetecting cache defeat using a changing parameter in an identifier of adata request to detect cache defeating mechanisms employed by a contentsource and using cached responses to server the data request.

In process 1002, a data request to a content source for which contentreceived is stored as cache elements in a local cache on the mobiledevice is detected. In process 1004, it is determined, from anidentifier of the data request, that a cache defeating mechanism isemployed by the content source.

In one embodiment, a parameter in the identifier indicates that thecaching defeat mechanism is used. For example, a format, syntax, and/orpattern of the parameter can be used to detect that the cache defeatmechanism is used. In one embodiment, the parameter indicating the cachedefeat mechanism includes one or more changing parameters and that achanging parameter in the identifier is identified to indicate cachedefeat when responses corresponding to multiple data requests are thesame even when the multiple data requests used identifiers with thechanging parameter being different for each of the multiple datarequests.

For example, when two or more responses for the data requests withchanging parameters are detected in responses, the parameter can beidentified or indicated as intended for defeating cache or potentiallydefeating cache. Alternatively, three or more same responses may beneeded to identify a given changing parameter in an identifier asintended to defeat cache or potentially defeating cache. The number ofsame responses required for identifying a given parameter as cachedefeating or a given content source as employing cache defeat mechanismscan be static or dynamically adjusted. The number of same responses mayalso be different for different resource identifiers, different types ofchanging parameters (e.g., date/time parameter, randomly changingparameter, or other types of parameters), different formats of changingparameters, or different resources.

In addition, the identifier can be normalized and the cache elements canbe stored in the local cache as being associated with a normalizedversion of the identifier. Such an association allows the identifier fora given request to be normalized to identify content from the cacheelements stored in the local cache to respond to future data requests.

In process 1006, content is retrieved from the cache elements in thelocal cache to respond to the data request. For example, in the casethat a changing parameter is used or intended for use as cache defeat inan address or identifier, a normalized version of the identifier whichexcludes the changing parameter can be generated and used to identifyassociated content that is retrieved from the cache elements to responseto the data request.

When a data request that is received employs a content identifier (e.g.,URL or URI) with a changing parameter determined to be or is likely usedfor cache defeat, the changing parameter can first be removed from aquery used the query the local cache to determine whether a storedresponse is available for the given data request. For example, cachedresponses can be queried using identifier hashes and the changingparameter can be removed before computing the hash for cache retrieval.

In process 1008, the content source (e.g., application server/contentprovider 110 of FIGS. 1A-B and 310 of FIG. 3B) is monitored for new orchanged data, for example, by a proxy server (e.g., proxy 125 or 325 inthe examples of FIG. 1B and FIG. 3A respectively) which is remote fromand in wireless communication with the mobile device. In one embodiment,the proxy server uses a modified identifier to poll the content source

In process 1010, the cache elements are invalidated in the local cacheor removed from the local cache (e.g., by local proxy 175 FIG. 1B or 275of FIG. 2A) when the proxy server detects new or changed data. The proxyserver can monitor the content source for new or changed data at afrequency that is based on a polling frequency of the content sourcefrom the mobile device, for example.

FIG. 11 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process forfacilitating content caching of content from sources employingcache-defeating mechanisms in the identifiers using the pattern, syntax,or format of identifiers associated with the sources.

In process 1150, it is determined, from an identifier of a data requestdirected to a content source, that the identifier defeats cache. Inprocess 1104, a changing parameter of the identifier is used to detectthat a cache defeating mechanism is employed. In process 1106, theidentifier is normalized. In process 1108, the normalized version of theidentifier is associated with cached elements stored in the local cachefor future identification and retrieval. In process 1110, the identifieris used to determine that content received from the content source hasbeen stored as cache elements in a local cache on the mobile device.

In process 1112, a decision is made as to whether to use the content inthe cache elements to respond to the data request. The decision can bemade based on one or more criteria. For example, in process 1114, it canbe determined whether the data request made in association with userinteraction with an application on the mobile device. If not, in process1118, the content identified is retrieved from the cache elements in thelocal cache to respond to the data request, such that radio use need notbe or is not activated at the mobile device to satisfy the data request.

In another example, in process 1116, it can be determined whether thedata request is made by an application running in a background. If so,in process 1118, the content identified is retrieved from the cacheelements in the local cache to respond to the data request, such thatradio use need not be or is not activated at the mobile device tosatisfy the data request.

In process 1120, the normalized identifier is communicated to the proxyserver. In process 1122, the proxy server can use the normalizedidentifier to store and detect new or changed data from the host server.

FIG. 12 depicts a flow chart illustrating an example process fordetermining whether a parameter in an identifier defeats caching of theaddressed content and determining cacheability of the addressed content.

In process 1202, a parameter in an identifier used in multiple pollingrequests to a given content source is identified. In process 1204, it isdetected that the parameter in the identifier changes for each of thepolling requests. In one embodiment, the format, or pattern, or syntaxof the parameter is further used to determine that the parameterindicates cache defeat. For example, the format of the parameter can beused to determine that the parameter is or may be a date and/or timeparameter. In some instances, multiple changing parameters in theidentifier may be identified. For example, the identifier can include achanging time parameter and a changing date parameter, as shown in theexample of parameters 702 in the example of FIG. 7A.

The parameter can be ascertained or further verified to be a date ortime parameter by a comparison with current date and/or time (e.g.,system time, UNIX time, etc.). If the comparison of the date/timeindicated by possible date/time parameter in the identifier with thecurrent date/time indicates a match or a match within a certaintolerance level (e.g., +/−5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, etc.), the parameter inquestion can be determined to be a date/time parameter and/or determinedto be treated as a date/time parameter for the purposes of caching theaddressed content and management thereof.

The changing parameter, or one or more of the changing parameters in agiven identifier, may be a random parameter that changes randomly withno detectable pattern of variation or readily identifiable/detectablemeaning, as illustrated as parameters 752 in the example of FIG. 7B. Ingeneral, a random parameter can be determined to be varying randomly ortreated as being varying randomly for the purposes of cacheability orcache defeat analysis/handling procedures when a parameter has noapparent or detectable impact or correlation on a response sent by thehost for the request, over a period of time and/or over a number ofresponses.

In process 1206, it is determined whether the responses received fromthe given content source are the same for each of the multiple pollingrequests. If not, in process 1208, it is determined that the parameteris not or may not be used for cache defeat. In response, the identifiermay be categorized as or treated as one not using cache defeat, or onethat cannot be handled, at least at the present moment as one employingcache defeat mechanism. The addressed content, as such, may not becached, at least for the present request, and/or for subsequentsame/similar requests, and/or different requests addressed to the samehost. The request itself and/or the host (e.g., applicationserver/content source) to which the identifier used in the request isaddressed can one or both be identified as non-cacheable, for example.

When the request is identified as being non-cacheable, the request canbe sent over the network (e.g., cellular or wireless network) to thehost for the request to be satisfied, since the local device cachelikely does not have a cached response for the request. Once a requestand/or a given host is identified or determined to be treated asnon-cacheable, the categorization and handling process (no-caching) canbe applied over a period of time, a set number of requests or appliedindefinitely. For example, the identifier or identifiers for otherrequests sent to the same host can be re-evaluated periodically (e.g.,via process 1202-1206) to assess cacheability (e.g., whether addressedcontent is cacheable and/or cacheable when cache defeat mechanisms areprocessed and appropriately treated).

Otherwise, in process 1210, the responses are cached in response todetermining that the responses received for the given content source arethe same. Further, in process 1212, it is determined that the parameteris used for cache defeat and normalized version of the identifier can begenerated by removing the changing parameter.

In process 1214, the normalized version of the identifier is associatedwith cached responses in the local cache for future identification andretrieval. In one embodiment, the normalized version of the identifierwithout the parameter is communicated to the proxy server, for use bythe proxy server in storing and detecting new or changed data from thehost server. For example, the modified identifier can be used in pollingthe given content source to detect new or changed data from the contentsource for the polling requests, by the proxy server remote from themobile device. The modified identifier can include, for example, asubstitute parameter in place of the parameter that is used to defeatcache. For example, say a URL has a timestamp in it:http://someurl.com/next?x=1&y=<number of seconds since epoc> Themodified URL can be: tttp://someurl.com/next?x=1&y=##time##, where the‘y’ parameter is now substituted.

FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine 1300 in theexample form of a computer system within which a set of instructions,for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone deviceor may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networkeddeployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or aclient machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peermachine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.

The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personalcomputer (PC), a user device, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a set-topbox (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, aniPhone, an iPad, a Blackberry, a processor, a telephone, a webappliance, a network router, switch or bridge, a console, a hand-heldconsole, a (hand-held) gaming device, a music player, any portable,mobile, hand-held device, or any machine capable of executing a set ofinstructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be takenby that machine.

While the machine-readable medium or machine-readable storage medium isshown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term“machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shouldbe taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., acentralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches andservers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term“machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shallalso be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encodingor carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and thatcause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of thepresently disclosed technique and innovation.

In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of thedisclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or aspecific application, component, program, object, module or sequence ofinstructions referred to as “computer programs.” The computer programstypically comprise one or more instructions set at various times invarious memory and storage devices in a computer, and that, when readand executed by one or more processing units or processors in acomputer, cause the computer to perform operations to execute elementsinvolving the various aspects of the disclosure.

Moreover, while embodiments have been described in the context of fullyfunctioning computers and computer systems, those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the various embodiments are capable of beingdistributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that thedisclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of machineor computer-readable media used to actually effect the distribution.

Further examples of machine-readable storage media, machine-readablemedia, or computer-readable (storage) media include but are not limitedto recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile memorydevices, floppy and other removable disks, hard disk drives, opticaldisks (e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD ROMS), Digital VersatileDisks, (DVDs), etc.), among others, and transmission type media such asdigital and analog communication links.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,”“coupled,” or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling,either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling ofconnection between the elements can be physical, logical, or acombination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,”and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall referto this application as a whole and not to any particular portions ofthis application. Where the context permits, words in the above DetailedDescription using the singular or plural number may also include theplural or singular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to alist of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretationsof the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list,and any combination of the items in the list.

The above detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the teachings to the precise formdisclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, thedisclosure are described above for illustrative purposes, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the scope of thedisclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Forexample, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order,alternative embodiments may perform routines having steps, or employsystems having blocks, in a different order, and some processes orblocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/ormodified to provide alternative or sub-combinations. Each of theseprocesses or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways.Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed inseries, these processes or blocks may instead be performed in parallel,or may be performed at different times. Further any specific numbersnoted herein are only examples: alternative implementations may employdiffering values or ranges.

The teachings of the disclosure provided herein can be applied to othersystems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements andacts of the various embodiments described above can be combined toprovide further embodiments.

Any patents and applications and other references noted above, includingany that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporatedherein by reference. Aspects of the disclosure can be modified, ifnecessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the variousreferences described above to provide yet further embodiments of thedisclosure.

These and other changes can be made to the disclosure in light of theabove Detailed Description. While the above description describescertain embodiments of the disclosure, and describes the best modecontemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, theteachings can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may varyconsiderably in its implementation details, while still beingencompassed by the subject matter disclosed herein. As noted above,particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspectsof the disclosure should not be taken to imply that the terminology isbeing redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics,features, or aspects of the disclosure with which that terminology isassociated. In general, the terms used in the following claims shouldnot be construed to limit the disclosure to the specific embodimentsdisclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Descriptionsection explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope ofthe disclosure encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but alsoall equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosure underthe claims.

While certain aspects of the disclosure are presented below in certainclaim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of thedisclosure in any number of claim forms. For example, while only oneaspect of the disclosure is recited as a means-plus-function claim under35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6, other aspects may likewise be embodied as ameans-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being embodied ina computer-readable medium. (Any claims intended to be treated under 35U.S.C. §112, ¶6 will begin with the words “means for”.) Accordingly, theapplicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing theapplication to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects ofthe disclosure.

1. A method of resource management in a wireless network by cachingcontent on a mobile device, the method, comprising: detecting a datarequest to a content source for which content received is stored ascache elements in a local cache on the mobile device; determining, froman identifier of the data request, that a cache defeating mechanism isused by the content source; retrieving content from the cache elementsin the local cache to respond to the data request.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein, a parameter in the identifier indicates that thecaching defeat mechanism is used.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein, aformat of the parameter is used to detect that the cache defeatmechanism is used.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein, the parameterindicating the cache defeat mechanism includes one or more changingparameters.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein, a changing parameter inthe identifier is identified to indicate cache defeat when responsescorresponding to multiple data requests are the same even when themultiple data requests used identifiers with the changing parameterbeing different for each of the multiple data requests.
 6. The method ofclaim 6, wherein, the responses corresponding to the multiple datarequests includes at least two responses that that are the same toidentify the changing parameter as indicating cache defeat.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein, the responses corresponding to the multipledata requests includes at least three responses that that are the sameto identify the changing parameter as indicating cache defeat.
 8. Themethod of claim 6, wherein, the content retrieved from the cacheelements for the data request is identified in the local cache using anormalized version of the identifier which excludes the changingparameter.
 9. The method of claim 2, wherein, the parameter includes atime and/or date parameter.
 10. The method of claim 4, wherein, the oneor more changing parameters include a changing time parameter and achanging date parameter.
 11. The method of claim 2, wherein, theparameter includes a random parameter.
 12. The method of claim 1,further comprising, normalizing the identifier to identify content fromthe cache elements stored in the local cache to respond to the datarequest; wherein, the cache elements are stored in the local cache asbeing associated with a normalized version of the identifier.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising, monitoring the content source fornew or changed data, by a proxy server remote from and in wirelesscommunication with the mobile device, using a modified version of theidentifier; wherein, the proxy server monitors the content source fornew or changed data at a frequency that is based on polling frequency ofthe content source from the mobile device.
 14. The method of claim 13,further comprising, removing the cache elements from the local cachewhen the proxy server detects new or changed data
 15. A method ofresource management in a network by caching content on a mobile device,the method, comprising: storing content from a content server as cachedelements in a local cache on the mobile device; in response to receivinga polling request to contact the content server, retrieving the cachedelements from the local cache to respond to the polling request made atthe mobile device such that a radio of the mobile device need not beactivated to service the polling request, even when a cache defeatingmechanism is employed.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein, the cachedefeating mechanism is employed by the content server.
 17. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising, detecting the cache defeating mechanismfrom a syntax or pattern of a resource identifier included in thepolling request identifying the content server.
 18. The method of claim17, wherein, the resource identifier includes a URI and the URI isnormalized by converting the URI scheme and host to lower-case.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, wherein, the identifier includes a URI and the URIis normalized by, performing one or more of, capitalizing letters inpercent-encoded escape sequences, removing a default port, and removingduplicate slashes.
 20. A method of resource management in a wirelessnetwork by caching content on a mobile device, the method, comprising:determining, from an identifier of a data request directed to a contentsource, that the identifier defeats cache; wherein, a changing parameterin the identifier is used to detect that a cache defeating mechanism isemployed; generating a normalized version of the identifier by removingthe changing parameter; and using the normalized version identifier todetermine that content received from the content source has been storedas cache elements in a local cache on the mobile device; making adecision as to whether to use the content in the cache elements torespond to the data request.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein, inmaking the decision, the content identified in the cache elements is notused to respond to the data request, when the data request is made inassociation with user interaction with an application on the mobiledevice.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein, in making the decision, thecontent identified in the cache elements is used to respond to the datarequest, when the data request is made by an application running in abackground.
 23. The method of claim 20, further comprising, retrievingthe content identified from the cache elements in the local cache torespond to the data request., such that radio use need not be or is notactivated at the mobile device to satisfy the data request.
 24. Amachine-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions whichwhen executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method ofresource management in a network by detecting cache defeat for cachingcontent on a mobile device, the method, comprising: identifying aparameter in an identifier used in multiple polling requests to a givencontent source; detecting that the parameter in the identifier changesfor each of the polling requests; determining whether responses receivedfrom the given content source are the same for each of the multiplepolling requests; caching the responses on the mobile device in responseto determining that the responses received for the given content sourceare the same.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein, a format of theparameter is used to determine that the parameter indicates cachedefeat.
 26. The method of claim 24, wherein, a format of the parameteris used to determine that the parameter is a date or time parameter. 27.The method of claim 26, further comprising, determining that theparameter is a date or time parameter by a comparison with current dateand/or time.
 28. The method of claim 24, further comprising, generatinga normalized version of the identifier by removing the parameter;wherein, the normalized version of the identifier is associated withcached elements in the local cache for future identification andretrieval.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein, the normalized version ofthe identifier without the parameter is communicated to the proxyserver, for use by the proxy server in storing and detecting new orchanged data from the host server.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein,a modified identifier is used in polling the given content source todetect new or changed data from the content source for the pollingrequests, wherein, by the content source is polled by a proxy serverremote from mobile device, wherein, the modified identifier uses asubstitute parameter in place of the parameter that is used to defeatcache.